Synthesis and Luminescence Characterization of Downconversion and Downshifting Phosphor for Efficiency Enhancement of Solar Cells: Perspectives and Challenges

Abstract

Currently, the world is facing an energy crisis. One of the techniques to fulfill the energy demand is to increase the utilization of solar energy. For harvesting solar energy in large amounts, it is essential to develop efficient solar cells. Notably, solar cells (photovoltaic cells) produce electricity from solar energy. The biggest hurdles, however, are the capability and reliability of solar cells. Poor energy density and the spectrum in the bandgap of semiconductor phosphors do not match the energy allocation of the photons in solar spectra lines. These issues and cell efficacy must be addressed before photovoltaic cells can be developed as a viable source of electrical power. The amount of energy generated per unit area depends linearly on cell efficiency. Hence, it makes sense to increase the efficiency rather than enhancing the space for solar cell installation. One well-known method for converting a high-energy photon into two or more lower-energy photons is “downconversion”, which makes use of the wide solar spectrum required for solar cells. The design maximizes the use of the entire sunlight spectrum, improving the efficiency of various solar cell types. This review article surveys how spectrum converters, especially lanthanide-based downconverters and downshifters will be developed. This review focuses on the current materials and methods used to enable the downconversion and downshifting processes in solar cells and some of the challenges in developing solar cells.

Upconversion as a spear carrier for tuning photovoltaic efficiency

“…16 The concept of upconversion was first introduced by Dutch-American physicist Nicolas Bloembergen in 1959. 17 In theory, it was predicted that with the help of an ideal upconverter, the standard Air Mass 1.5 global (AM 1.5G) spectrum power conversion efficiency can be tuned up to 50.7% from the basic limit of 32%. 12 This phenomenon finds its applications in various fields, including photovoltaics, bio-imaging, sensors, OLEDs, biomedicines, etc.…”

Exploring Ln(III)-Ion-Based Luminescent Species as Down-Shifters for Photovoltaic Solar Cells

“…Integrating lanthanide down-shifting layers into solar cells poses several challenges that must be addressed, including cost-effectiveness, stability, and efficiency [ 46 , 47 ]. As solar energy continues to grow in importance as a renewable energy source, advancements in down-shifting will play an increasingly crucial role in addressing these challenges [ 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 ].…”

A Review on the Applicability of Luminescent Phosphors and Effective Positioning in Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells for Enhanced Performance and Stability

“…The first‐generation solar cells made from crystalline silicon (c‐Si) wafers with the highest reported power conversion efficiency (PCE) of ≈27.6% (lab‐scale devices) and ≈20% for modules. [ 1 ] It is worth mentioning that the c‐Si‐based solar cells show guaranteed performance for the period of more than 20 years. These favorable characteristics have made the c‐Si solar cells as an exceptional technology in photovoltaic (PV) market.…”