Publications
283 results found
Li J, Huang J, Ma F, et al., 2022, Unveiling microscopic carrier loss mechanisms in 12% efficient Cu<inf>2</inf>ZnSnSe<inf>4</inf> solar cells, Nature Energy, Vol: 7, Pages: 754-764
Understanding carrier loss mechanisms at microscopic regions is imperative for the development of high-performance polycrystalline inorganic thin-film solar cells. Despite the progress achieved for kesterite, a promising environmentally benign and earth-abundant thin-film photovoltaic material, the microscopic carrier loss mechanisms and their impact on device performance remain largely unknown. Herein, we unveil these mechanisms in state-of-the-art Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) solar cells using a framework that integrates multiple microscopic and macroscopic characterizations with three-dimensional device simulations. The results indicate the CZTSe films have a relatively long intragrain electron lifetime of 10–30 ns and small recombination losses through bandgap and/or electrostatic potential fluctuations. We identify that the effective minority carrier lifetime of CZTSe is dominated by a large grain boundary recombination velocity (~104 cm s−1), which is the major limiting factor of present device performance. These findings and the framework can greatly advance the research of kesterite and other emerging photovoltaic materials.
Tabernig SW, Soeriyadi AH, Romer U, et al., 2022, Avoiding Shading Losses in Concentrator Photovoltaics Using a Soft-Imprinted Cloaking Geometry, IEEE JOURNAL OF PHOTOVOLTAICS, Vol: 12, Pages: 1116-1127, ISSN: 2156-3381
Nielsen MP, Pusch A, Sazzad MH, et al., 2022, Thermoradiative Power Conversion from HgCdTe Photodiodes and Their Current-Voltage Characteristics, ACS PHOTONICS, Vol: 9, Pages: 1535-1540, ISSN: 2330-4022
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- Citations: 2
Liu M, Romer U, Ekins-Daukes NJ, et al., 2022, Optical analysis of light management for finger designs in CPV systems, PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS, Vol: 30, Pages: 1219-1227, ISSN: 1062-7995
Gholizadeh EM, Prasad SKK, Gillan L, et al., 2021, Singlet and Triplet Exciton Dynamics of Violanthrone, JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, Vol: 125, Pages: 22464-22471, ISSN: 1932-7447
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- Citations: 1
Yamaguchi M, Dimroth F, Geisz JF, et al., 2021, Multi-junction solar cells paving the way for super high-efficiency, JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS, Vol: 129, ISSN: 0021-8979
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- Citations: 34
Jiang Y, Nielsen MP, Baldacchino AJ, et al., 2021, Singlet fission and tandem solar cells reduce thermal degradation and enhance lifespan, PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS, Vol: 29, Pages: 899-906, ISSN: 1062-7995
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- Citations: 5
Pusch A, Bremner SP, Tayebjee MJY, et al., 2021, Microscopic reversibility demands lower open circuit voltage in multiple exciton generation solar cells, APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, Vol: 118, ISSN: 0003-6951
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- Citations: 4
Sogabe T, Hung C-Y, Tamaki R, et al., 2021, Experimental demonstration of energy-transfer ratchet intermediate-band solar cell, COMMUNICATIONS PHYSICS, Vol: 4, ISSN: 2399-3650
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- Citations: 8
Steiner MA, France RM, Buencuerpo J, et al., 2021, 32.9% efficient tandem solar cell with strain-balanced GaInAs/GaAsP quantum wells, 48th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), Publisher: IEEE, Pages: 1084-1085, ISSN: 0160-8371
Zhou Z, Jiang Y, Ekins-Daukes N, et al., 2021, Optical and Thermal Emission Benefits of Differently Textured Glass for Photovoltaic Modules, IEEE JOURNAL OF PHOTOVOLTAICS, Vol: 11, Pages: 131-137, ISSN: 2156-3381
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- Citations: 5
Liu M, Romer U, Ekins-Daukes NJ, et al., 2021, Optical Analysis of Secondary Optics for Solar Concentrators with a View to Optimising Cell Metallisation, 48th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), Publisher: IEEE, Pages: 2270-2272, ISSN: 0160-8371
Steiner MA, France RM, Buencuerpo J, et al., 2020, High Efficiency Inverted GaAs and GaInP/GaAs Solar Cells With Strain-Balanced GaInAs/GaAsP Quantum Wells, ADVANCED ENERGY MATERIALS, Vol: 11, ISSN: 1614-6832
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- Citations: 27
Liu M, Soeriyadi AH, Song N, et al., 2020, Formation Mechanism of Cu-based Ohmic Contacts for GaAs Solar Cells, Pages: 0829-0832, ISSN: 0160-8371
Copper contacts on GaAs are gaining increasing attention for low-cost high-efficiency solar cell devices. Cu/Ge/Pd and Cu/Pt/Ti/Pt contacts have been reported to achieve low specific contact resistivities in the range of 10_{-5}\ \mathrm{\Omega} \text{cm}_{2}. A preliminary study for the formation mechanism of these two Cu-based structures on both n-type and p-type GaAs substrates subjected to different thermal annealing conditions is reported. The results indicate that the formation of the Cu3Ge and PdGaxAsy compounds in conjunction with the creation of Ga vacancies are among the reasons for low contact resistance for n-GaAs. The high work function of Pt and high melting temperature of both Pt and Ti help to reduce the contact resistance for p-GaAs.
Rodriguez AS, de Santana T, MacGill I, et al., 2020, A feasibility study of solar PV-powered electric cars using an interdisciplinary modeling approach for the electricity balance, CO2 emissions, and economic aspects: The cases of The Netherlands, Norway, Brazil, and Australia, PROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS, Vol: 28, Pages: 517-532, ISSN: 1062-7995
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- Citations: 3
Aghaei M, Nitti M, Ekins-Daukes NJ, et al., 2020, Simulation of a Novel Configuration for Luminescent Solar Concentrator Photovoltaic Devices Using Bifacial Silicon Solar Cells, APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL, Vol: 10
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- Citations: 7
Pearce P, Sayre L, Johnson A, et al., 2020, Design of photonic light-trapping structures for ultra-thin solar cells, Conference on Physics, Simulation, and Photonic Engineering of Photovoltaic Devices IX, Publisher: SPIE-INT SOC OPTICAL ENGINEERING, ISSN: 0277-786X
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- Citations: 4
Liu M, Soeriyadi AH, Song N, et al., 2020, Formation Mechanism of Cu-based Ohmic Contacts for GaAs Solar Cells, 47th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), Publisher: IEEE, Pages: 829-832, ISSN: 0160-8371
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- Citations: 1
Pusch A, Dubajic M, Ekins-Daukes NJ, et al., 2020, Fundamental Aspects of Hot Carrier Solar Cell Operation, 47th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), Publisher: IEEE, Pages: 2227-2232, ISSN: 0160-8371
Ekins-Daukes NJ, Sazzad MH, Al Kiyumi L, et al., 2020, Generating Power at Night Using a Thermoradiative Diode, How is this Possible?, 47th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), Publisher: IEEE, Pages: 2214-2218, ISSN: 0160-8371
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- Citations: 4
Pusch A, Gordon JM, Mellor A, et al., 2019, Fundamental Efficiency Bounds for the Conversion of a Radiative Heat Engine's Own Emission into Work, PHYSICAL REVIEW APPLIED, Vol: 12, ISSN: 2331-7019
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- Citations: 12
Gentillon P, Singh S, Lakshman S, et al., 2019, A comprehensive experimental characterisation of a novel porous media combustion-based thermophotovoltaic system with controlled emission, APPLIED ENERGY, Vol: 254, ISSN: 0306-2619
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- Citations: 25
Pusch A, Ekins-Daukes NJ, 2019, Voltage Matching, Etendue, and Ratchet Steps in Advanced-Concept Solar Cells, PHYSICAL REVIEW APPLIED, Vol: 12, ISSN: 2331-7019
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- Citations: 16
Steiner MA, Barraugh CD, Aldridge CW, et al., 2019, Photoelectrochemical water splitting using strain-balanced multiple quantum well photovoltaic cells, SUSTAINABLE ENERGY & FUELS, Vol: 3, Pages: 2837-2844, ISSN: 2398-4902
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- Citations: 9
Alonso Alvarez D, Weiss C, Fernandez J, et al., 2019, Assessing the operating temperature of multi-junction solar cells with novel rear side layer stack and local electrical contacts, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol: 200, ISSN: 0927-0248
Sub-bandgap sunlight provides a source of heat generation in solar cells that is detrimental to performance, especially in space applications where heat dissipation is limited. In this work we assess the impact that an advanced rear-side contact scheme for multi-junction solar cells has on the cell temperature. Our results show that this scheme reduces the optical power absorption below the bandgap of germanium by 81% compared to a standard, full metallization design. Measurements of the electrical and thermal power fluxes performed in vacuum demonstrate that this lower near-infrared light absorption results in 8% less heat dissipated in the cell with the novel rear-side contact scheme when operating at 25 ºC. Modelling of the operating temperature for both cells when fully encapsulated with glass indicates that this effect will also result in a reduction of the operating temperature of 9 ºC for the novel design.
Cui X, Sun K, Huang J, et al., 2019, Cd-Free Cu2ZnSnS4 solar cell with an efficiency greater than 10% enabled by Al2O3 passivation layers, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, Vol: 12, Pages: 2751-2764, ISSN: 1754-5692
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- Citations: 72
Ekins-Daukes N, Kay M, 2019, Brighten the dark skies, NATURE ENERGY, Vol: 4, Pages: 633-634, ISSN: 2058-7546
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- Citations: 3
Alonso Alvarez D, Augusto A, Pearce P, et al., 2019, Thermal emissivity of silicon heterojunction solar cells, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol: 201, Pages: 1-7, ISSN: 0927-0248
The aim of this work is to evaluate whether silicon heterojunction solar cells, lacking highly emissive, heavily doped silicon layers, could be better candidates for hybrid photovoltaic thermal collectors than standard aluminium-diffused back contact solar cells. To this end, the near and mid infrared emissivity of full silicon heterojunction solar cells, as well as of its constituent materials – crystalline silicon wafer, indium tin oxide, n-, i- and p-type amorphous silicon – have been assessed by means of ellipsometry and FTIR. The experimental results show that the thermal emissivity of these cells is actually as high as in the more traditional structures, ~80% at 8 μm. Detailed optical modelling combining raytracing and transfer matrix formalism shows that the emissivity in these cells originates in the transparent conductive oxide layers themselves, where the doping is not high enough to result in a reflection that exceeds the increased free carrier absorption. Further modelling suggests that it is possible to obtain lower emissivity solar cells, but that a careful optimization of the transparent conductive layer needs to be done to avoid hindering the photovoltaic performance.
Dimmock JAR, Kauer M, Wu J, et al., 2019, A metallic hot-carrier photovoltaic device, SEMICONDUCTOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Vol: 34, ISSN: 0268-1242
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- Citations: 5
Jiang Y, Keevers MJ, Pearce P, et al., 2019, Design of an intermediate Bragg reflector within triple-junction solar cells for spectrum splitting applications, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol: 193, Pages: 259-269, ISSN: 0927-0248
We investigate the use of distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) within triple-junction solar cells (TJSC) for spectrum splitting photovoltaics. An optical model of a lattice-matched (LM) GaInP/GaInAs/Ge TJSC with intermediate DBR is developed, in good agreement with measured reflectance. By modifying the DBR layer number, composition and thickness to broaden the reflectance band, we show that a DBR can provide suitable 900–1050 nm reflectance for spectrum splitting from the LM TJSC to a Si cell, resulting in a more efficient 4-junction receiver. For better practicality and cost effectiveness, we propose that the buffer layers in metamorphic (MM) TJSCs could additionally function as a DBR for spectrum splitting applications. We propose several DBR designs to achieve a suitable spectrum-splitting reflectance band from MM TJSCs to a Si cell, again resulting in a more efficient 4-junction receiver. Finally, we show that our intermediate DBR approach to spectrum splitting has the advantage of a greatly reduced angle-of-incidence dependence compared to a discrete dielectric filter.
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