Higher limiting efficiencies for nanostructured solar cells

Jessica G. J. Adams; Warren Elder; Geoff Hill; John S. Roberts; Keith W. J. Barnham; Nicholas J. Ekins-Daukes

doi:10.1117/12.844114

25 February 2010 Higher limiting efficiencies for nanostructured solar cells

Jessica G. J. Adams, Warren Elder, Geoff Hill, John S. Roberts, Keith W. J. Barnham, Nicholas J. Ekins-Daukes

Proceedings Volume 7597, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVIII; 759705 (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.844114
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2010, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

It is possible to tailor the band gap of the strain-balanced quantum well solar cell to match the local solar spectral conditions by altering the quantum well depth. This has led to a recent single-junction world-record efficiency of 28.3%, as well as giving advantages for current matching in multi-junction solar cells. Radiative recombination is the dominant loss mechanism for the strain-balanced quantum well solar cell, so practical improvements focus on techniques for light management in the cell, such as enhancing the optical path length with epitaxial mirrors. Furthermore, the compressive strain in the quantum wells suppresses emission into TM-propagating modes, reducing the overall optical loss and increasing the cell efficiency. As biaxial strain can only be engineered into a cell on the nanoscale, quantum well solar cells are seen to have a fundamental efficiency advantage over bulk semiconductor cells.

Citation Download Citation

Jessica G. J. Adams, Warren Elder, Geoff Hill, John S. Roberts, Keith W. J. Barnham, and Nicholas J. Ekins-Daukes "Higher limiting efficiencies for nanostructured solar cells", Proc. SPIE 7597, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVIII, 759705 (25 February 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.844114

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