Omni-direction PERC solar cells harnessing periodic locally focused light incident through patterned PDMS encapsulation

Yun, Min Ju; Sim, Yeon Hyang; Lee, Dong Y.; Seung, I.

doi:10.1039/d0ra00439a

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 29 publications

(44 reference statements)

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“…Coatings also offer opportunities to leverage the structure–property relations of a wide range of optical surface structures. To date, improvements in solar cell performance have been demonstrated through nanoparticles surface coatings, nanostructured diffraction and diffuse layers, nanotexturing, geometric optical structure, among many others. − …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluorescent Waveguide Lattices for Enhanced Light Harvesting and Solar Cell Performance

Ding

Hosein

2023

ACS Appl. Energy Mater.

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We present the properties and performance of fluorescent waveguide lattices as coatings for solar cells, designed to address the significant mismatch between the solar cell’s spectral response range and the solar spectrum. Using arrays of microscale visible light optical beams transmitted through photoreactive polymer resins comprising acrylate and silicone monomers and fluorescein o,o′-dimethacrylate comonomer, we photopolymerize well-structured films with single and multiple waveguide lattices. The materials exhibited bright green-yellow fluorescence emission through down-conversion of blue-UV excitation and light redirection from the dye emission and waveguide lattice structure. This enables the films to collect a broader spectrum of light, spanning UV–vis–NIR over an exceptionally wide angular range of ±70°. When employed as encapsulant coatings on commercial silicon solar cells, the polymer waveguide lattices exhibited significant enhancements in solar cell current density. Below 400 nm, the primary mode of enhancement is through down-conversion and light redirection from the dye emission and collection by the waveguides. Above 400 nm, the primary modes of enhancement were a combination of down-conversion, wide-angle light collection, and light redirection from the dye emission and collection by the waveguides. Waveguide lattices with higher dye concentrations produced more well-defined structures better suited for current generation in encapsulated solar cells. Under standard AM 1.5 G irradiation, we observed nominal average current density increases of 0.7 and 1.87 mA/cm2 for single waveguide lattices and two intersecting lattices, respectively, across the full ±70° range and reveal optimal dye concentrations and suitable lattice structures for solar cell performance. Our findings demonstrate the significant potential of incorporating down-converting fluorescent dyes in polymer waveguide lattices for improving the current spectral and angular response of solar cell technologies toward increasing clean energy in the energy grid.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluorescent Waveguide Lattices for Enhanced Light Harvesting and Solar Cell Performance

Ding

Hosein

2023

ACS Appl. Energy Mater.

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“…From an optics perspective, this can be achieved using new types of dielectric structures that elicit novel or stronger light–matter interactions via such effects as antireflection, optical mode coupling, geometric refractive optics, plasmonics, and even ray-steering. Such effects have been realized using optical material structures such as nanoparticle surface coatings, nanostructured diffractive, diffuse and scattering layers, − gratings, nanotexturing, geometric optical structures, , one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) lens arrays, − microscale patterning, or even more sophisticated methods such as contact cloaking, − modified front-contact shape, and alternatively designing back-contact architectures and transparent electrodes …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Importantly, the loss in efficiency and performance at wider angles is so strong that even marginal increases in light capture and conversion can aid to increase overall solar cell output. Currently, wide-angle energy conversion in solar cells remains a relatively unexplored area of research, with only a few studies having examined possible performance enhancements through such methods as surface texturing, micro-lensing, and transparent electrodes. − ,, …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Currently, wide-angle energy conversion in solar cells remains a relatively unexplored area of research, with only a few studies having examined possible performance enhancements through such methods as surface texturing, micro-lensing, and transparent electrodes. [9][10][11][12]19,21 Employing optical waveguiding structures provides another straightforward approach to manage light transmission over a solar cell. 22 This approach exploits the inherent angular acceptance range for incident light 23 of a waveguide structure (particularly across the air−structure interface) and subsequent guided transmission along the waveguide's long axis as a means to control the direction of light propagation.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multidirectional Polymer Waveguide Lattices for Enhanced Ultrawide-Angle Light Capture in Silicon Solar Cells

Ding

Hosein

2022

ACS Appl. Energy Mater.

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We report the synthesis and characterization of a polymer thin-film structure consisting of two intersecting broadband optical waveguide lattices, and its performance in wide-angle optical energy collection and conversion in silicon solar cells. The structures are synthetically organized via the concurrent irradiation of photoreactive polymer blends by two arrays of intersecting, microscale optical beams transmitted through the medium. Through optical beam-induced photopolymerization and photopolymerization-induced phase separation, well-organized lattices are produced comprising of cylindrical core–cladding waveguide architectures that intersect one another. The optical waveguide properties of the lattices transform the transmission characteristics of the polymer film so that incident optical energy is collected and transmitted along the waveguide axes, rather than their natural directions dictated by refraction, thereby creating efficient light-collecting capability. The embedded structures collectively impart their wide-angle acceptance ranges to enable the film to efficiently collect and interact with light over a large angular range (±70°). When employed as the encapsulant material for a commercial silicon solar cell, the novel light collection and transmission properties result in greater wide-angle conversion efficiency and electrical current density, compared to a single vertically aligned waveguide array. The sustained and greater conversion of light afforded by the encapsulating optical material promises to increase solar cell performance by enabling ultrawide-angle solar energy conversion.

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Encapsulation of commercial and emerging solar cells with focus on perovskite solar cells

et al. 2022

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Omni-direction PERC solar cells harnessing periodic locally focused light incident through patterned PDMS encapsulation

Abstract: Enhancing energy production of PERC solar cells with periodic locally focused light by using patterned PDMS encapsulation.

Cited by 5 publications

References 29 publications

Fluorescent Waveguide Lattices for Enhanced Light Harvesting and Solar Cell Performance

Fluorescent Waveguide Lattices for Enhanced Light Harvesting and Solar Cell Performance

Multidirectional Polymer Waveguide Lattices for Enhanced Ultrawide-Angle Light Capture in Silicon Solar Cells

Encapsulation of commercial and emerging solar cells with focus on perovskite solar cells

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