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Assessment of quantum dots concentrators for photovoltaic electricity production; Evaluation du potentiel de concentrateurs a quantum dots pour la production d'electricite photovoltaique. Rapport final

Abstract

One of the most promising application of semiconductor nanostructures in the field of photovoltaics might be planar photoluminescent concentrators. Even for diffuse solar radiation, considerable concentration factors might be achieved. Such devices have originally been designed on the basis of organic dyes and might benefit from a considerably improved lifetime when replacing the organic fluorescent substances by inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals, so-called quantum dots. Quantum dot containing nanocomposite thin films are synthesized at EPFL-LESO by a low cost sol-gel process. In order to study the potential of the use of quantum dot solar concentrators in photovoltaic solar energy conversion, reliable computer simulations are needed. A tool for ray tracing simulations of quantum dot solar concentrators has been developed at EPFL-LESO on the basis of Monte-Carlo methods that are applied to polarization-dependent reflection/transmission at interfaces, photon absorption by the semiconductor nanocrystals and photoluminescent re-emission. Together with the knowledge on the optoelectronical properties of suitable photovoltaic cells, such simulations allow to predict the total efficiency of the envisaged concentrating PV systems, and to optimize pane dimensions, photoluminescent emission frequencies, and choice of PV cell types. (author)
Publication Date:
Jul 01, 2006
Product Type:
Technical Report
Report Number:
SFOE-260150
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS; PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION; SOLAR RADIATION; CONCENTRATOR SOLAR CELLS; CONCENTRATION RATIO; PHOTOLUMINESCENCE; INORGANIC COMPOUNDS; SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS; NANOSTRUCTURES; QUANTUM DOTS; SYNTHESIS; SOL-GEL PROCESS; VERIFICATION; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT; OPTIMIZATION; OPTICAL PROPERTIES
Sponsoring Organizations:
Swiss Federal Office of Energy, Berne (Switzerland)
OSTI ID:
21197720
Research Organizations:
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Laboratoire d'Energie Solaire et de Physique du Batiment (LESO-PB), Lausanne (Switzerland)
Country of Origin:
Switzerland
Language:
French; English
Other Identifying Numbers:
TRN: CH08E1084
Availability:
Commercial reproduction prohibited; OSTI as DE21197720
Submitting Site:
CH
Size:
13 pages
Announcement Date:
Aug 20, 2009

Citation Formats

Schueler, A, Kostro, A, and Huriet, B. Assessment of quantum dots concentrators for photovoltaic electricity production; Evaluation du potentiel de concentrateurs a quantum dots pour la production d'electricite photovoltaique. Rapport final. Switzerland: N. p., 2006. Web.
Schueler, A, Kostro, A, & Huriet, B. Assessment of quantum dots concentrators for photovoltaic electricity production; Evaluation du potentiel de concentrateurs a quantum dots pour la production d'electricite photovoltaique. Rapport final. Switzerland.
Schueler, A, Kostro, A, and Huriet, B. 2006. "Assessment of quantum dots concentrators for photovoltaic electricity production; Evaluation du potentiel de concentrateurs a quantum dots pour la production d'electricite photovoltaique. Rapport final." Switzerland.
@misc{etde_21197720,
title = {Assessment of quantum dots concentrators for photovoltaic electricity production; Evaluation du potentiel de concentrateurs a quantum dots pour la production d'electricite photovoltaique. Rapport final}
author = {Schueler, A, Kostro, A, and Huriet, B}
abstractNote = {One of the most promising application of semiconductor nanostructures in the field of photovoltaics might be planar photoluminescent concentrators. Even for diffuse solar radiation, considerable concentration factors might be achieved. Such devices have originally been designed on the basis of organic dyes and might benefit from a considerably improved lifetime when replacing the organic fluorescent substances by inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals, so-called quantum dots. Quantum dot containing nanocomposite thin films are synthesized at EPFL-LESO by a low cost sol-gel process. In order to study the potential of the use of quantum dot solar concentrators in photovoltaic solar energy conversion, reliable computer simulations are needed. A tool for ray tracing simulations of quantum dot solar concentrators has been developed at EPFL-LESO on the basis of Monte-Carlo methods that are applied to polarization-dependent reflection/transmission at interfaces, photon absorption by the semiconductor nanocrystals and photoluminescent re-emission. Together with the knowledge on the optoelectronical properties of suitable photovoltaic cells, such simulations allow to predict the total efficiency of the envisaged concentrating PV systems, and to optimize pane dimensions, photoluminescent emission frequencies, and choice of PV cell types. (author)}
place = {Switzerland}
year = {2006}
month = {Jul}
}