Full metadata
Title
Advanced hybrid solar cell approaches for future generation ultra-high efficiency photovoltaic devices
Description
Increasing the conversion efficiencies of photovoltaic (PV) cells beyond the single junction theoretical limit is the driving force behind much of third generation solar cell research. Over the last half century, the experimental conversion efficiency of both single junction and tandem solar cells has plateaued as manufacturers and researchers have optimized various materials and structures. While existing materials and technologies have remarkably good conversion efficiencies, they are approaching their own limits. For example, tandem solar cells are currently well developed commercially but further improvements through increasing the number of junctions struggle with various issues related to material interfacial defects. Thus, there is a need for novel theoretical and experimental approaches leading to new third generation cell structures. Multiple exciton generation (MEG) and intermediate band (IB) solar cells have been proposed as third generation alternatives and theoretical modeling suggests they can surpass the detailed balance efficiency limits of single junction and tandem solar cells. MEG or IB solar cell has a variety of advantages enabling the use of low bandgap materials. Integrating MEG and IB with other cell types to make novel solar cells (such as MEG with tandem, IB with tandem or MEG with IB) potentially offers improvements by employing multi-physics effects in one device. This hybrid solar cell should improve the properties of conventional solar cells with a reduced number of junction, increased light-generated current and extended material selections. These multi-physics effects in hybrid solar cells can be achieved through the use of nanostructures taking advantage of the carrier confinement while using existing solar cell materials with excellent characteristics. This reduces the additional cost to develop novel materials and structures. In this dissertation, the author develops thermodynamic models for several novel types of solar cells and uses these models to optimize and compare their properties to those of existing PV cells. The results demonstrate multiple advantages from combining MEG and IB technology with existing solar cell structures.
Date Created
2014
Contributors
- Lee, Jongwon (Author)
- Honsberg, C. (Christiana B.) (Thesis advisor)
- Bowden, Stuart (Committee member)
- Roedel, Ronald (Committee member)
- Goodnick, Stephen (Committee member)
- Schroder, Dieter (Committee member)
- Arizona State University (Publisher)
Topical Subject
Resource Type
Extent
xviii, 147 p. : ill. (chiefly col.)
Language
eng
Copyright Statement
In Copyright
Primary Member of
Peer-reviewed
No
Open Access
No
Handle
https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.25006
Statement of Responsibility
by Jongwon Lee
Description Source
Viewed on Aug. 13, 2014
Level of coding
full
Note
thesis
Partial requirement for: Ph.D., Arizona State University, 2014
bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (p. 122-135)
Field of study: Electrical engineering
System Created
- 2014-06-09 02:12:08
System Modified
- 2021-08-30 01:34:45
- 3 years 2 months ago
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