Approaching the Shockley-Queisser limit: General assessment of the main limiting mechanisms in photovoltaic cells
- CNRS-PROMES, 7 Rue du Four Solaire, 66120 Odeillo (France)
- Institut Interdisciplinaire d'Innovation Technologique (3IT), Université de Sherbrooke, 3000 boul. de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1K 0A5 (Canada)
In principle, the upper efficiency limit of any solar cell technology can be determined using the detailed-balance limit formalism. However, “real” solar cells show efficiencies which are always below this theoretical value due to several limiting mechanisms. We study the ability of a solar cell architecture to approach its own theoretical limit, using a novel index introduced in this work, and the amplitude with which the different limiting mechanisms affect the cell efficiency is scrutinized as a function of the electronic gap and the illumination level to which the cell is submitted. The implications for future generations of solar cells aiming at an improved conversion of the solar spectrum are also addressed.
- OSTI ID:
- 22399228
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 117, Issue 1; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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