Photovoltaic Cell Generations and Current Research Directions for Their Development

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the different generations of photovoltaic cells and current research directions focusing on their development and manufacturing technologies. The introduction describes the importance of photovoltaics in the context of environmental protection, as well as the elimination of fossil sources. It then focuses on presenting the known generations of photovoltaic cells to date, mainly in terms of the achievable solar-to-electric conversion efficiencies, as well as the technology for their manufacture. In particular, the third generation of photovoltaic cells and recent trends in its field, including multi-junction cells and cells with intermediate energy levels in the forbidden band of silicon, are discussed. We also present the latest developments in photovoltaic cell manufacturing technology, using the fourth-generation graphene-based photovoltaic cells as an example. An extensive review of the world literature led us to the conclusion that, despite the appearance of newer types of photovoltaic cells, silicon cells still have the largest market share, and research into ways to improve their efficiency is still relevant.

Advances in organic photovoltaic cells: a comprehensive review of materials, technologies, and performance

“…34 These cells were rst developed in the 1950s and have been the most widely used type of solar cell to date. 35,36 The efficiency of these cells ranges from 6-15%, but through continuous research and development, the efficiency of these cells has increased significantly over the years and now reaches levels of up to 25% as illustrated in Fig. 2.…”

Determination of the current-voltage characteristics of the photovoltaic cells using the CoachLabII+ measuring console

“…Several generations of photovoltaic cells can be distinguished due to their construction and the materials used in which the process of photon energy conversion into electric current takes place [17]. The process of converting photon energy into electrical or chemical energy is a threestage process involving the formation of an exciton (electron-hole pair), separation and migration of electrons and holes to the external circuit.…”

Revealing the Role of Band Offsets on the Charge Carrier Dynamics of CsSn0.5Ge0.5I3‐Based Perovskite Solar Cell: A Theoretical Study

“…However, the fact that it requires an expensive manufacturing process and poses limited efficiency (21-22%) compels us to find a promising alternative. [2][3][4] The advancements in technology are assisting in the reduction of production costs but the efficiency improvement witnessed in the past few years is not very appreciable. This has led to a shift in the interest of the researchers toward different PV materials exhibiting better optoelectronic properties.…”