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Hybrid Cd‐free CIGS solar cell/TEG device with ZnO nanowires
Author(s) -
Hsueh TingJen,
Shieh JiaMin,
Yeh YuMing
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/pip.2457
Subject(s) - copper indium gallium selenide solar cells , photovoltaic system , optoelectronics , materials science , thermoelectric generator , open circuit voltage , solar cell , nanowire , energy conversion efficiency , photovoltaics , voltage , thermoelectric effect , nanotechnology , electrical engineering , physics , thermodynamics , engineering
Abstract A green energy device with a CuInGaSe 2 (CIGS) photovoltaic (PV) cell covered with a passive light‐trapping structure (ZnO nanowires (NWs)) and connected to an active energy‐harvesting device (thermoelectric generator (TEG)) is presented. The efficiency of the ZnO NWs/CIGS PV device obtained using a deposition temperature of 550 °C and Cd‐free processes reaches 16.5%. The series‐connected CIGS PV cell with a TEG had a record‐high efficiency of 22% at a cool‐side temperature ( T c ) below 5 °C. The open‐circuit voltage ( V oc ) of the hybrid CIGS PV/TEG device was increased from 0.64 to 0.85 V. This technology has potential for high‐efficiency energy‐harvesting applications. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.