Presentation Details
| Hybrid Thermodynamics for Solar Energy and Implications for Solar Cell Efficiency Exceeding the Single Junction Limit for Silicon Solar Cells Christiana Honsberg1, Stuart Bowden2, Ian Sellers3, Stephen Goodnick1, Justin W.Faris1. 1Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.2Solestial Solar, Tempe, AZ, USA.3University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA |
Abstract
The paper presents a hybrid thermodynamic model that treats solar cells as hybrid quantum and thermal converters. The hybrid approach is useful at a variety of levels, including advanced concepts, evaluating approaches to improve the efficiency of existing commercial solar cells, and exploring new system concepts. We show that the theoretical efficiency limits of a hybrid thermal/quantum device can reach 68% and present a device structure that can realize a thermal/quantum hybrid. In addition, the model provides a roadmap for boosting the efficiency of practical devices, such as silicon heterojunctions, to 35–48% by recovering energy at the contacts, suggesting that experimental open-circuit voltages on heterojunction contacts for silicon and perovskites can be further increased
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.