Thin film solar cells based on multinary compound Cu(In,Ga)Se2 show record photovoltaic conversion efficiency approaching 20%. Investigation on defect physics in this compound is crucial for making further progress in the technology. In this work we present the results on photocapacitance (PC) and deep level optical spectroscopy (DLOS) for two types of cells – high efficiency Cu(In,Ga)Se2 cell with about 20% of gallium and pure gallium CuGaSe2 device. We show that PC and DLOS, employed as the techniques complimentary to deep level transient spectroscopy DLTS and admittance spectroscopy, are useful methods in providing information on defect levels in solar cells. In particular they are helpful in diffierentiating between levels belonging to the bulk of absorber and to the interface states. We tentatively assign some of the observed deep levels to InCu or GaCu antisites and Cu interstitials.
In this work, two thermal- and air-stable, hole transporting materials (HTM) in perovskite solar cells are analyzed. Those obtained and investigated materials were two polyazomethines: the first one with three thiophene rings and 3,3′-dimethoxybenzidine moieties (S9) and the second one with three thiophene rings and fluorene moieties (S7). Furthermore, presented polyazomethines were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) experiments. Both polyazomethines (S7 and S9) possessed good thermal stability with a 5% weight loss at 406 and 377°C, respectively. The conductivity of S7 was two orders of magnitude higher than for S9 polymer (2.7 × 10−8 S/cm, and 2.6 × 10−10 S/cm, respectively). Moreover, polyazomethine S9 exhibited 31 nm bathochromic shift of the absorption band maximum compared to S7.
Obtained perovskite was investigated by UV–vis and XRD. Electrical parameters of perovskite solar cells (PSC) were investigated at Standard Test Conditions (STC). It was found that both polyazomethines protect perovskite which is confirmed by ageing test where Voc did not decrease significantly for solar cells with HTM in contrast to solar cell without hole conductor, where Voc decrease was substantial. The best photoconversion efficiency (PCE = 6.9%), among two investigated in this work polyazomethines, was obtained for device with the following architectures FTO/TiO2/TiO2 + perovskite/S7/Au. Stability test proved the procreative effects of polyazomethines on perovskite absorber.
Photovoltaic (PV) technologies which play a role in PV market are divided into basic two types: wafer-based (1st generation PV) and thin-film cell (2nd generation PV). To the first category belong mainly crystalline silicon (c-Si) cells (both mono- and multi-crystalline). In 2015 around 90% of the solar market belonged to crystalline silicon. To the 2nd generation solar cells belongs thin film amorphous silicon (a-Si) or a combination of amorphous and microcrystalline silicon (a-Si/μc-Si), compound semiconductor cadmium telluride (CdTe), compound semiconductor made of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIS or CIGS) and III–V materials. The PV market for thin film technology is dominated by CdTe and CIGS solar cells. Thin film solar cells’ share for all thin film technologies was only 10% in 2015. New emerging technologies, called 3rd generation solar cells, remain the subject of extensive R&D studies but have not been used in the PV market, so far.
In this review the best laboratory 1st and 2nd generation solar cells that were recently achieved are described. The scheme of the layer structure and energy band diagrams will be analyzed in order to explain the boost of their efficiency with reference to the earlier standard designs.
The emergence of solar cells on flexible and bendable substrates has made the printing process a ubiquitous tool for the fabrication of these devices. The various printing techniques available now such as inkjet, screen and flexography offer cost- effectiveness, user-friendliness and suitability for mass production. While downscaling the fill factor and efficiency of organic solar cells. A multilayered structure, the combination of different printing techniques avails the variety of thickness and resolution required for each layer in the production of an organic solar cell. In this review article, we discuss the suitability of the inkjet and screen printing processes to produce organic solar cells. We also discuss various challenges involved in the fabrication of organic solar cells using these two techniques and the possible solutions for the same. We also provide an analogy that both processes share. Further, we consider future possibilities of combining these printing technologies to produce organic solar cells to improve device performance.
The aim of this article is to present the results of research aimed at confirmation whether it is possible to form an intermediate band in GaAs implantation with H+ ions. The obtained results were discussed with particular emphasis on possible applications in the photovoltaic industry. As it is commonly known, the idea of intermediate band solar cells reveals considerable potential as the most fundamental principle of the next generation of semiconductors solar cells. In progress of the research, a series of GaAs samples were subjected to poly-energy implantation of H+ ions, followed by high-temperature annealing. Tests were conducted using thermal admittance spectroscopy, under conditions of variable ambient temperature, measuring signal frequency in order to localize deep energy levels, introduced by ion implantation. Activation energy ΔE was determined for additional energy levels resulting from the implantation of H+ ions. The method of determining the activation energy value is shown in Fig. 2 and the values read from it are σ0 = 10−9 (Ω·cm)−1 for 1000/T0 = 3.75 K−1 and σ1 = 1.34 × 10−4 (Ω·cm)−1 for 1000/T1 = 2.0 K−1. As a result, we obtain ΔE ≈ 0:58 eV. It was possible to identify a single deep level in the sample of GaAs implanted with H+ ions. Subsequently, its location in the band gap was determined by estimating the value of ΔE. However, in order to confirm whether the intermediate band was actually formed, it is necessary to perform further analyses. In particular, it is necessary to implement a new analytical model, which takes into consideration the phenomena associated with the thermally activated mechanisms of carrier transport as it was described in [13]. Moreover, the influence of certain parameters of ion implantation, post-implantation treatment and testing conditions should also be considered.
The presented article is a report on progress in photovoltaic devices and material processing. A cadmium telluride solar cell as one of the most attractive option for thin-film polycrystalline cell constructions is presented. All typical manufacturing steps of this device, including recrystalisation and junction activation are explained. A new potential field of application for this kind of device - the BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaic) is named and discussed. All possible configuration options for this application, according to material properties and exploitation demands are considered. The experimental part of the presented paper is focused on practical implementation of the high- temperature polymer foil as the substrate of the newly designed device by the help of ICSVT (Isothermal Close Space Vapour Transport) technique. The evaluation of the polyester and polyamide foils according to the ICSVT/CSS manufacturing process parameters is described and discussed. A final conclusion on practical verification of these materials is also given.
GZO/IZO semiconductor thin films were prepared on the ITO substrate via sol-gel spin coating method for using in the dyesensitized solar cells (DSSCs). For this purpose, GZO and IZO thin films were optimized by the percentage of doping gallium and indium in zinc oxide and were studied their electrical, optical and structural properties. After that, the layers with the best performance were selected for use in the DSSCs. The concentration of all solutions for spin coating processes was 0.1 M and zinc oxide has been doped with gallium and indium, with different doping percentages (0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 volume percentage). So, by studying the properties of the fabricated thin films, it was found the films with 0.5%GZO and 0.5%IZO have the best performance and hence, the optimized dual-layer (0.5% GZO/0.5% IZO (GIZO)) were prepared and studied their electrical and optical properties. The synthesized optimized dual-layer film was successfully used as the working electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. The sample with 0.5%IZO shows the 9.1 mA/cm2 short-circuit current density, 0.52 V open circuit voltage, 63% fill factor and 2.98% efficiency.
Many variants of thin film technology are nowadays part of the photovoltaic market. The most popular are amorphous silicon, CIS (Copper Indium Selenide)/CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium Selenide)/CIGSS (Copper Indium Gallium Sulphur Selenide), and CdS/CdTe (Cadmium Sulphide/Cadmium-Telluride) cells. All mentioned types allow potentially for a flexible cell structure. Most emitter contacts are currently based on TCOs (Transparent Conductive Oxides), however, wider approach with alternative carbon nanoforms, silver nanolayers and polymer materials, called TCLs (Transparent Conductive Layers) are also in use. Authors decided to investigate influence of mechanical stresses on physical and electrical behaviour of these layers. Consequently, the aim of work is to determine the level and possible mechanisms of flexible a-Si cell parameters degradation due to a deterioration of transparent contact properties.
The paper presents the idea to improve the performance of thin film photovoltaic cells by a light capture enhancement through the introduction of down shifting energy converters. Luminescent down shifting layers convert high-energy photons (UV light) into low-energy ones (visible light), which are more efficient in a photovoltaic conversion. For this purpose, the application of a thin layer composed of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles deposited onto a thin film solar cell is proposed. The paper presents both experimental and theoretical results of this approach. Conducted investigations include an analysis of ZnO nanoparticle layers, deposited in two independent technology methods. The results showed that ZnO nanoparticles have a great potential of application as down converting layers and can be implemented to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic cells, especially in the field of thin film PV structures. The proposed new deposition method can potentially be used in some industrial photovoltaic applications.
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were prepared using various food dyes. Food dyes are economically superior to organometallic dyes since they are nontoxic and inexpensive. The spectrophotometric evaluation of chosen food dyes in solution and on a TiO2 substrate show that the dyes form J-aggregation on the photoelectrode substrate. Oxidation of potential measurements for used food dyes ensured an energetically permissible and thermodynamically favorable charge transfer throughout the continuous cycle of a photo-electric conversion. The performance of dye-sensitized solar cells based on food dyes was studied. The results illustrate that the dye containing carboxylic acid and sulfonic acid as the acceptor group gave the maximum conversion efficiency 4.20%.
The paper presents a dual-band plasmonic solar cell. The proposed unit structure gathers two layers, each layer consists of a silver nanoparticle deposited on a GaAs substrate and covered with an ITO layer, It reveals two discrete absorption bands in the infra-red part of the solar spectrum. Nanoparticle structures have been used for light-trapping to increase the absorption of plasmonic solar cells. By proper engineering of these structures, resonance frequencies and absorption coefficients can be controlled as it will be elucidated. The simulation results are achieved using CST Microwave Studio through the finite element method. The results indicate that this proposed dual-band plasmonic solar cell exhibits an absorption bandwidth, defined as the full width at half maximum, reaches 71 nm. Moreover, It can be noticed that by controlling the nanoparticle height above the GaAs substrate, the absorption peak can be increased to reach 0.77.
Four dye-sensitized solar cell devices are designed and fabricated based on natural dyes extracted from Celosia Cristata, Saffron, Cynoglossum, and eggplant peel, as photosensitizers. The UV–vis technique has been served to determine maximum absorption of natural extract and pre-dyed photoanode. The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) was employed to cover the presence of functional groups. The cyclic voltammetry method has been employed to assess the possibility of charge transfer from dried natural dyes to the photoelectrode. The performance of natural-based dye-sensitized solar cells is determined subsequently. The highest power conversion efficiency was ca. 1.38%, which belonged to Celosia Cristata extract. The devices were examined for higher efficiencies, individually, co-sensitized arrangement and/or in tandem with each other.