0000000000957554
AUTHOR
Gaetano Bonsignore
Luminescence properties of III-V multi-junctions solar cells
The recent achievement of multi-junctions solar cells, based on III-V semiconductors, exceeding 43% efficiency, has stimulated a rapid growth of concentration photovoltaic (CPV) technology. The large efficiency of these cells is based on the matching between the semiconductors band gap and the solar spectrum and the capability of working under concentrated illumination, up to ~1000 suns. The research pays, therefore, attention to investigate in detail the mechanisms that affect the conversion efficiency, such as the non radiative losses that increase the cell temperature thus favoring the electron-hole (e-h) recombination. With the aim to clarify the performances of these III-V cells, here …
Efficiency of concentration photovoltaic cells governed by luminescence processes
The development of multi-junctions III-V semiconductors solar cells, that combine high conversion efficiency (over 40%) and capability of working under high illumination intensity (up to 1000 suns), has stimulated a rapid growth of concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology. The performance of these cells is based on the matching between the semiconductors band gap and the solar spectrum so as to optimize the current balancing between the subcells. This requirement is also important in connection with the CPV modules using lenses, mirrors, optical coupling compounds that introduce a wavelength dependent response to the sunlight. Therefore, care must be exercised in designing optimum cells …