Abstract
The enhancement of photovoltaic efficiency by incorporation of down-shifting phosphor materials in optically active and inactive regions of solar modules is presented. Thin film photovoltaic modules suffer from various optical losses, including front glass reflectance, thermalization loss of absorbed high energy photons, window layer absorption, and the loss of photons to scribe regions. There have been various efforts to improve the performance of solar modules by application of down-shifting (DS), down-converting, and up-converting materials systems. Here we show results towards the development of a low-cost phosphor film system tuned to the solar spectrum and specifically designed for CdTe thin film modules.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
T. Trupke, M.A. Green, P. Wurfel, J. Appl. Phys. 92, 1668 (2002).
B.-C. Hong, K. Kawano, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cell 80, 417 (2003).
V. Svrcek, A. Slaoui, J.-C. Muller, Thin Solid Films 451–452, 384 (2004).
B. Gonza’lez-Dı’az, R. Guerrero-Lemus, P. Haro-Gonza’lez, D. Borchert, C. Herna’ndez- Rodrı’guez, Thin Solid Films 511–512, 473 (2006).
C. Strumpel, M. McCann, G. Beaucarne, V. Arkhipov, A. Slaoui, V. Svrcek, C. del Canizo, I. Tobias, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cell 91, 238 (2007).
W. van Sark, C. De Mello Donega, C. Harkisoen, R. Kinderman, J. van Roosmalen, R. Schropp, E. Lysen, in: Proceedings of the 19th EUPVSEC, Paris, 2004.
S.J. Gallagher, B. Norton, P.C. Eames, Solar Energy 81, 813 (2007).
T. Trupke, M.A. Green, P. Wurfel, J. Appl. Phys. 92, 4117 (2002).
A. Shalav, B.S. Richards, M.A. Green, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 91, 829 (2007).
F. Wang, D.K. Chatterjee, Z. Li, Y. Zhang, X. Fan, M. Wang, Nanotechnology 17, 5786 (2006).
G. Yi, H. Lu, S. Zhao, Y. Ge, W. Yang, D. Chen, L.-H. Guo, Nano Lett. 4, 2191 (2004).
E. De la Rosa, P. Salas, H. Desirena, C. Angeles, R.A. Rodrı´guez, Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 241912 (2005).
A. Shah, et al. “Photovoltaic technology: the case for thin-film solar cells.” Science 285.5428: 692–698 (1999).
X. Sheng, C.J. Corcoran, J. He, L. Shen, S. Kim, J. Park, R.G. Nuzzo, and J.A. Rogers, “Enhanced ultraviolet responses in thin-film InGaP solar cells by downshifting,” Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.15, 20434–20437 (2013) [DOI: 10.1039/C3CP54096K]
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tsakalakos, L., Smith, D.J., Brewer, J.E. et al. Down-Shifting Phosphor Layer Enhancement in Optically Active and Inactive Thin-Film Solar Module Regions. MRS Advances 1, 2953–2965 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2016.549
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2016.549