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Feasibility of a Full Chalcopyrite Tandem Solar Cell: A Quantitative Numerical Approach
Author(s) -
Tiwari Kunal J.,
Giraldo Sergio,
Placidi Marcel,
Gon Medaille Axel,
Thomere Angelica,
Resalati Shahaboddin,
Saucedo Edgardo,
Jehl Li-Kao Zacharie
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
solar rrl
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.544
H-Index - 37
ISSN - 2367-198X
DOI - 10.1002/solr.202100202
Subject(s) - chalcopyrite , tandem , materials science , optoelectronics , band gap , solar cell , realization (probability) , transfer matrix method (optics) , mathematics , copper , statistics , metallurgy , composite material
The potential of tandem solar cells combining two chalcopyrite absorbers is evaluated using numerical modeling based on an exhaustive set of experimental parameters, offering a high degree of confidence in the numerical values reported herein. The simple yet reliable approach used here combines a transfer matrix‐based optical model of the wide bandgap CIGSe top subcell used as input for the 1D electrical modeling of a reference narrow bandgap CIGSe bottom cell. Various optical optimizations to the top subcell are investigated, with the aim to increase the bottom subcell current and reduce the efficiency threshold needed at the top subcell for the tandem device to beat the current single junction efficiency record. The results here suggest that significant progress compared with the state of the art can be made using a pure CuGaSe 2 absorber combined with an optimized back contact with an ultrathin transition metal oxide interlayer. With a bottom subcell current more than doubled in the optimum top subcell configuration, a challenging yet clear pathway for the future realization of tandem solar cells based on chalcopyrite absorbers is offered.