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. 2019 Feb 22;11(2):383.
doi: 10.3390/polym11020383.

Modeling of High-Efficiency Multi-Junction Polymer and Hybrid Solar Cells to Absorb Infrared Light

Jobeda J Khanam  1 , Simon Y Foo  2
Affiliations

Modeling of High-Efficiency Multi-Junction Polymer and Hybrid Solar Cells to Absorb Infrared Light

Jobeda J Khanam et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

In this paper, we present our work on high-efficiency multi-junction polymer and hybrid solar cells. The transfer matrix method is used for optical modeling of an organic solar cell, which was inspired by the McGehee Group in Stanford University. The software simulation calculates the optimal thicknesses of the active layers to provide the best short circuit current (JSC) value. First, we show three designs of multi-junction polymer solar cells, which can absorb sunlight beyond the 1000 nm wavelengths. Then we present a novel high-efficiency hybrid (organic and inorganic) solar cell, which can absorb the sunlight with a wavelength beyond 2500 nm. Approximately 12% efficiency was obtained for the multi-junction polymer solar cell and 20% efficiency was obtained from every two-, three- and four-junction hybrid solar cell under 1 sun AM1.5 illumination.

Keywords: fill factor (FF); hybrid solar cell (HSC); open circuit voltage (Voc); organic/polymer solar cell (OSC); power conversion efficiency (PCE); short circuit current density (Jsc).

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The thickness of the active layer is varied to obtain the optimal current for type 1 multi-junction polymer solar cells (PSC).
Figure 2
Figure 2
HOMO and LUMO band diagram for type 1 multi-junction PSC.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Stack diagram; (b) variation of light intensity versus wavelength; and (c) J–V characteristics of three-junction organic solar cell (OSC) with front P3HT:ICBA, middle PTB7-Th:PCBM and rear PDTP-DFBT:PCBM active layers.
Figure 4
Figure 4
HOMO and LUMO band diagram for type 2 multi-junction PSC.
Figure 5
Figure 5
(a) Stack diagram; (b) variation of light intensity versus wavelength; and (c) J–V characteristics for OSC with P3HT:ICBA, Si-PCPDTBT:PCBM and PMDPP3T:PCBM active layers.
Figure 6
Figure 6
HOMO and LUMO band diagram for type 3 multi-junction PSC.
Figure 7
Figure 7
(a) Stack diagram; (b) variation of light intensity versus wavelength; and (c) J–V characteristics of OSC with P3HT:ICBA, Si-PCPDTBT:PCBM and PDTP-DFBT:PCBM active layers.
Figure 8
Figure 8
(a) Stack diagram; (b) variation of light intensity versus wavelength for HSC MaPbI3 and rear PbS active layers; and (c) exciton generation rate vs. position of device for two-junction hybrid solar cell.
Figure 9
Figure 9
(a) Stack diagram; (b) variation of light intensity versus wavelength; and (c) exciton generation rate vs. position of device for three-junction hybrid solar cell.
Figure 10
Figure 10
(a) Stack diagram; (b) variation of light intensity versus wavelength; and (c) exciton generation rate vs. position in device for two-junction hybrid solar cell.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Efficiency vs. fill factor for multi-junction PSC.
Figure 12
Figure 12
(a) J–V characteristics for two-, three- and four-junction hybrid solar cells. (b) Fill factor vs. efficiency for two-, three- and four-junction hybrid solar cells.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Fabrication methodology for multi-junction polymer and hybrid solar cell.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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