About the Implementation of Frequency Conversion Processes in Solar Cell Device Simulations
Solar cells are electrical devices that can directly convert sunlight into electricity. While solar cells are a mature technology, their efficiencies are still far below the theoretical limit. The major losses in a typical semiconductor solar cell are due to the thermalization of electrons in the UV...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-08-01
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| Series: | Micromachines |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/9/9/435 |
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| author | Alexander Quandt Tahir Aslan Itumeleng Mokgosi Robert Warmbier Maurizio Ferrari Giancarlo Righini |
| author_facet | Alexander Quandt Tahir Aslan Itumeleng Mokgosi Robert Warmbier Maurizio Ferrari Giancarlo Righini |
| author_sort | Alexander Quandt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Solar cells are electrical devices that can directly convert sunlight into electricity. While solar cells are a mature technology, their efficiencies are still far below the theoretical limit. The major losses in a typical semiconductor solar cell are due to the thermalization of electrons in the UV and visible range of the solar spectrum, the inability of a solar cell to absorb photons with energies below the electronic band gap, and losses due to the recombination of electrons and holes, which mainly occur at the contacts. These prevent the realization of the theoretical efficiency limit of 85% for a generic photovoltaic device. A promising strategy to harness light with minimum thermal losses outside the typical frequency range of a single junction solar cell could be frequency conversion using rare earth ions, as suggested by Trupke. In this work, we discuss the modelling of generic frequency conversion processes in the context of solar cell device simulations, which can be used to supplement experimental studies. In the spirit of a proof-of-concept study, we limit the discussion to up-conversion and restrict ourselves to a simple rare earth model system, together with a basic diode model for a crystalline silicon solar cell. The results of this show that these simulations are very useful for the development of new types of highly efficient solar cells. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:14:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-89272f6f4ba14bdbb65bf961f4b3a008 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:14:17Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj.art-89272f6f4ba14bdbb65bf961f4b3a0082022-12-22T02:35:45ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2018-08-019943510.3390/mi9090435mi9090435About the Implementation of Frequency Conversion Processes in Solar Cell Device SimulationsAlexander Quandt0Tahir Aslan1Itumeleng Mokgosi2Robert Warmbier3Maurizio Ferrari4Giancarlo Righini5Historical Museum of Physics and Study & Research Centre “Enrico Fermi”, 00184 Roma, ItalySchool of Physics and Materials for Energy Research Group, University of the Witwatersrand, 2050 Johannesburg, South AfricaSchool of Physics and Materials for Energy Research Group, University of the Witwatersrand, 2050 Johannesburg, South AfricaDepartment of Physics, University of Johannesburg, 2006 Auckland Park, South AfricaHistorical Museum of Physics and Study & Research Centre “Enrico Fermi”, 00184 Roma, ItalyHistorical Museum of Physics and Study & Research Centre “Enrico Fermi”, 00184 Roma, ItalySolar cells are electrical devices that can directly convert sunlight into electricity. While solar cells are a mature technology, their efficiencies are still far below the theoretical limit. The major losses in a typical semiconductor solar cell are due to the thermalization of electrons in the UV and visible range of the solar spectrum, the inability of a solar cell to absorb photons with energies below the electronic band gap, and losses due to the recombination of electrons and holes, which mainly occur at the contacts. These prevent the realization of the theoretical efficiency limit of 85% for a generic photovoltaic device. A promising strategy to harness light with minimum thermal losses outside the typical frequency range of a single junction solar cell could be frequency conversion using rare earth ions, as suggested by Trupke. In this work, we discuss the modelling of generic frequency conversion processes in the context of solar cell device simulations, which can be used to supplement experimental studies. In the spirit of a proof-of-concept study, we limit the discussion to up-conversion and restrict ourselves to a simple rare earth model system, together with a basic diode model for a crystalline silicon solar cell. The results of this show that these simulations are very useful for the development of new types of highly efficient solar cells.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/9/9/435photovoltaicsfrequency conversiondevice simulations |
| spellingShingle | Alexander Quandt Tahir Aslan Itumeleng Mokgosi Robert Warmbier Maurizio Ferrari Giancarlo Righini About the Implementation of Frequency Conversion Processes in Solar Cell Device Simulations Micromachines photovoltaics frequency conversion device simulations |
| title | About the Implementation of Frequency Conversion Processes in Solar Cell Device Simulations |
| title_full | About the Implementation of Frequency Conversion Processes in Solar Cell Device Simulations |
| title_fullStr | About the Implementation of Frequency Conversion Processes in Solar Cell Device Simulations |
| title_full_unstemmed | About the Implementation of Frequency Conversion Processes in Solar Cell Device Simulations |
| title_short | About the Implementation of Frequency Conversion Processes in Solar Cell Device Simulations |
| title_sort | about the implementation of frequency conversion processes in solar cell device simulations |
| topic | photovoltaics frequency conversion device simulations |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/9/9/435 |
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