The limiting efficiency of band gap graded solar cells

Numerical simulation of the limiting efficiency of the graded bandgap solar cell

“…Huge numerical effort has to be expended if we go after optimizing the solar cell's ''limiting efficiency'' for all these parameters. Thus, we use only a limited set of the cell parameters to verify our previous analytical result [17]. In effect, this paper should be viewed together with Refs.…”

“…1, can enhance the limiting efficiency significantly. Stated alternatively, this paper aims to validate, via numerical simulation with no simplifying assumptions, the previously published [16,17] calculation of the limiting efficiency of the graded bandgap solar cell. That calculation indicated that the limiting efficiency of a graded bandgap solar cell is higher than the limiting efficiency of non-graded solar cells [9].…”

“…Many authors used and modified the detailed balance theory [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] to calculate, analytically, the limiting efficiency of solar cells. Most of the published work [8][9][10][11][12][13] used the radiative recombination as the only source of the carriers' recombination.…”

“…Most of the published work [8][9][10][11][12][13] used the radiative recombination as the only source of the carriers' recombination. Others [14][15][16][17] made some modifications to the theory and took into consideration the Auger recombination as well as the radiative recombination. The authors previously studied the effect of the compositional bandgap grading on the limiting efficiency [16,17], using a semianalytical model that depends on the detailed balance theory.…”

“…Others [14][15][16][17] made some modifications to the theory and took into consideration the Auger recombination as well as the radiative recombination. The authors previously studied the effect of the compositional bandgap grading on the limiting efficiency [16,17], using a semianalytical model that depends on the detailed balance theory. They concluded that compositionally grading the bandgap could localize the Auger and the radiative losses around the minimum bandgap region.…”