Multilayer and multi-interface structures for very high efficiency solar cells

Zbigniew T. Kuznicki

doi:10.1117/12.344759

8 April 1999 Multilayer and multi-interface structures for very high efficiency solar cells

Zbigniew T. Kuznicki

Proceedings Volume 3725, International Conference on Solid State Crystals '98: Epilayers and Heterostructures in Optoelectronics and Semiconductor Technology; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.344759
Event: International Conference on Solid State Crystals '98, 1998, Zakopane, Poland

Abstract

The conversion efficiency of solar energy into electrical energy by solar cells is limited by the conversion thermodynamics at about 30%. This efficiency can be improved if the incident solar radiation is absorbed not only in the basic but also in a graft-modified material of reduced volume (as a nanostructure). In this case the new material can form a substructure giving a complementary absorption which cannot be obtained in the classical way by an exclusively material modification. A new design of very- and ultra-high efficient solar cells has been conceived over the last years in which ion beam processing can be extensively employed. Our previous concepts, modeling and simulations have demonstrated that a considerable increase in silicon single-crystal Back Surface Field solar cell performance is possible. This mode of operation leads to a multilayer material superposition and a device design known as a multiinterface novel device. In this paper, a review of experimental results obtained on simplified multiinterface solar cells is presented. Measurements of optical absorption and carrier photogeneration carried out on structures modified by impurity implantation have confirmed the fundamental improvements by widened absorption and IR photogeneration which result in one of the possible Si material modifications. The observed results are encouraging. The increase in absorption (up to (lambda) <EQ 3200 nm) is the best yet measured. The IR photocurrent was first observed in a single-crystal Si device (the upper wavelength limit (lambda) <EQ 2500 nm was imposed by the measuring equipment). These results have been completed with other structural, optical and electronic measurements.

Citation Download Citation

Zbigniew T. Kuznicki "Multilayer and multi-interface structures for very high efficiency solar cells", Proc. SPIE 3725, International Conference on Solid State Crystals '98: Epilayers and Heterostructures in Optoelectronics and Semiconductor Technology, (8 April 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.344759

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