Improving the voltage of solar cells using photon management

标题：利用光子管理提高太阳能电池的电压 这项工作的重点是研究新的方法，以提高太阳能电池的效率，通过新的方法来管理光子吸收。太阳能电池的效率由光电流和工作电压决定。目前，许多领先电池技术中的光电流已接近上限，几乎没有改进的空间。另一方面，工作电压仍然落后于其预测极限。传统上，电压只能通过提高太阳能电池材料的质量来提高，这往往会显着增加成本。在这项工作中，新的方法将开发基于光学设计，以提高工作电压。理论和实验研究旨在建立基于光子工程的电压增强新机制和设计原则。通过研究提高电池电压的策略，PI预计将提高对基本过程的理解，从而提高太阳能系统的效率。有一个强大的教育计划，让学生参与研究工作，并与工业合作伙伴合作。该项目将对本科生和研究生进行清洁能源技术培训，这将对社会产生深远影响。拟议的工作重点是提高太阳能电池工作电压的新方法。将研究在半导体纳米结构中使用光子管理的几种新机制。拟议的光子管理旨在解决防反射和光捕获以外的问题。光子学可以通过珀塞尔效应来提高电压，其中通过设计光态密度来增强或抑制辐射复合率。随着太阳能电池达到高效率，特别是对于直接带隙半导体，这种效应变得更加重要。近场发射将在各种纳米结构中进行理论研究，以减少实际太阳能电池中的电压损失。该项目结合了详细的平衡分析和纳米光子模拟。特别是，细胞架构将被调查，以实现效率超越肖克利-奎瑟限制。

Title: Improving the voltage of solar cells using photon management This work focuses on the study of new approaches to enhance the efficiency of solar cells through novel approaches to manage photon absorption. The efficiency of solar cells is determined by both the photocurrent and the operating voltage. Currently, photocurrents in many leading cell technologies are approaching their upper limit, leaving little room for improvement. On the other hand, operating voltages are still lagging behind their predicted limit. Traditionally, the voltage could only be enhanced by improving the quality of solar cell materials, which tends to increase the cost significantly. In this effort new approaches will be developed based on optical designs to improve the operating voltage. Theoretical and experimental studies aim to establish new mechanisms and design principles for voltage enhancement based on photonic engineering. By investigating strategies for increasing cell voltage, the PI anticipates improved understanding of fundamental processes that will lead to higher efficiency of solar systems. There is a strong educational plan to involve students with the research effort and to collaborate with an industrial partner. The project will train undergraduate and graduate students in clean energy technologies which will have a profound impact on society. The proposed work focuses on new approaches to enhance the operating voltage of solar cells. Several new mechanisms using photon management in semiconductor nanostructures will be investigated. The proposed photon management seeks to address issues beyond anti-reflection and light trapping. Photonics can improve the voltage through the Purcell effect where radiative recombination rates are enhanced or suppressed by engineering the optical density of states. Such effects become more important as solar cells reach high efficiencies, particularly for direct bandgap semiconductors. Near-field emission will be theoretically investigated in various nanostructures to reduce the loss of voltage in practical solar cells. The project combines detailed balance analysis and nanophotonic simulations. In particular, cell architectures will be investigated to achieve efficiency beyond the Shockley-Queisser limit.