A Review of Ultrahigh Efficiency III-V Semiconductor Compound Solar Cells: Multijunction Tandem, Lower Dimensional, Photonic Up/Down Conversion and Plasmonic Nanometallic Structures
Solar cells are a promising renewable, carbon-free electric energy resource to address the fossil fuel shortage and global warming. Energy conversion efficiencies around 40% have been recently achieved in laboratories using III-V semiconductor compounds as photovoltaic materials. This article review...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2009-07-01
|
| Series: | Energies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/2/3/504/ |
| _version_ | 1798026092140822528 |
|---|---|
| author | Katsuaki Tanabe |
| author_facet | Katsuaki Tanabe |
| author_sort | Katsuaki Tanabe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Solar cells are a promising renewable, carbon-free electric energy resource to address the fossil fuel shortage and global warming. Energy conversion efficiencies around 40% have been recently achieved in laboratories using III-V semiconductor compounds as photovoltaic materials. This article reviews the efforts and accomplishments made for higher efficiency III-V semiconductor compound solar cells, specifically with multijunction tandem, lower-dimensional, photonic up/down conversion, and plasmonic metallic structures. Technological strategies for further performance improvement from the most efficient (Al)InGaP/(In)GaAs/Ge triple-junction cells including the search for 1.0 eV bandgap semiconductors are discussed. Lower-dimensional systems such as quantum well and dot structures are being intensively studied to realize multiple exciton generation and multiple photon absorption to break the conventional efficiency limit. Implementation of plasmonic metallic nanostructures manipulating photonic energy flow directions to enhance sunlight absorption in thin photovoltaic semiconductor materials is also emerging. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:29:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3ebba485fb8740f996ac50e3bba2704a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T18:29:38Z |
| publishDate | 2009-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-3ebba485fb8740f996ac50e3bba2704a2022-12-22T04:09:30ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732009-07-012350453010.3390/en20300504A Review of Ultrahigh Efficiency III-V Semiconductor Compound Solar Cells: Multijunction Tandem, Lower Dimensional, Photonic Up/Down Conversion and Plasmonic Nanometallic StructuresKatsuaki TanabeSolar cells are a promising renewable, carbon-free electric energy resource to address the fossil fuel shortage and global warming. Energy conversion efficiencies around 40% have been recently achieved in laboratories using III-V semiconductor compounds as photovoltaic materials. This article reviews the efforts and accomplishments made for higher efficiency III-V semiconductor compound solar cells, specifically with multijunction tandem, lower-dimensional, photonic up/down conversion, and plasmonic metallic structures. Technological strategies for further performance improvement from the most efficient (Al)InGaP/(In)GaAs/Ge triple-junction cells including the search for 1.0 eV bandgap semiconductors are discussed. Lower-dimensional systems such as quantum well and dot structures are being intensively studied to realize multiple exciton generation and multiple photon absorption to break the conventional efficiency limit. Implementation of plasmonic metallic nanostructures manipulating photonic energy flow directions to enhance sunlight absorption in thin photovoltaic semiconductor materials is also emerging.http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/2/3/504/solar energyrenewable energyclean energysolar cellsphotovoltaicssemiconductorsmultijunctionquantum wellsquantum dotssurface plasmons |
| spellingShingle | Katsuaki Tanabe A Review of Ultrahigh Efficiency III-V Semiconductor Compound Solar Cells: Multijunction Tandem, Lower Dimensional, Photonic Up/Down Conversion and Plasmonic Nanometallic Structures Energies solar energy renewable energy clean energy solar cells photovoltaics semiconductors multijunction quantum wells quantum dots surface plasmons |
| title | A Review of Ultrahigh Efficiency III-V Semiconductor Compound Solar Cells: Multijunction Tandem, Lower Dimensional, Photonic Up/Down Conversion and Plasmonic Nanometallic Structures |
| title_full | A Review of Ultrahigh Efficiency III-V Semiconductor Compound Solar Cells: Multijunction Tandem, Lower Dimensional, Photonic Up/Down Conversion and Plasmonic Nanometallic Structures |
| title_fullStr | A Review of Ultrahigh Efficiency III-V Semiconductor Compound Solar Cells: Multijunction Tandem, Lower Dimensional, Photonic Up/Down Conversion and Plasmonic Nanometallic Structures |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Review of Ultrahigh Efficiency III-V Semiconductor Compound Solar Cells: Multijunction Tandem, Lower Dimensional, Photonic Up/Down Conversion and Plasmonic Nanometallic Structures |
| title_short | A Review of Ultrahigh Efficiency III-V Semiconductor Compound Solar Cells: Multijunction Tandem, Lower Dimensional, Photonic Up/Down Conversion and Plasmonic Nanometallic Structures |
| title_sort | review of ultrahigh efficiency iii v semiconductor compound solar cells multijunction tandem lower dimensional photonic up down conversion and plasmonic nanometallic structures |
| topic | solar energy renewable energy clean energy solar cells photovoltaics semiconductors multijunction quantum wells quantum dots surface plasmons |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/2/3/504/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT katsuakitanabe areviewofultrahighefficiencyiiivsemiconductorcompoundsolarcellsmultijunctiontandemlowerdimensionalphotonicupdownconversionandplasmonicnanometallicstructures AT katsuakitanabe reviewofultrahighefficiencyiiivsemiconductorcompoundsolarcellsmultijunctiontandemlowerdimensionalphotonicupdownconversionandplasmonicnanometallicstructures |