HOT CARRIER SOLAR CELLS : IN THE MAKING ?

A. Le Bris (1) , L. Lombez (1) , Jean Francois Guillemoles (1) , Ruben Esteban (2) , Marine Laroche (2) , Jean-Jacques Greffet (2) , G. Boissier (3) , Philippe Christol (3, 4) , S. Collin (5) , Jl. Pelouard (5) , P. Aschehoug (6) , F. Pellé (6)

1 IRDEP - Institut de Recherche et Développement sur l'Energie Photovoltaïque
2 Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l'Institut d'Optique / Naphel
3 IES - Institut d’Electronique et des Systèmes
4 NANOMIR - Composants à Nanostructure pour le moyen infrarouge
5 LPN - Laboratoire de photonique et de nanostructures
6 LCMCP (site ENSCP) - Laboratoire de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Paris (site ENSCP)

Hot carrier solar cells allow potential efficiency close to the thermodynamical limit in ideal conditions. However, the feasability of such devices has not been clearly stated so far and only ideal cells were considered in previous studies. Here we develop a model with realistic energy selective contacts, carrier thermalization and absorptivity. The requirements in term of contact selectivity is investigated, showing that semi-selective contacts are not incompatible with high efficiencies. Candidates for absorbing material were synthesized and the required thermalization properties are obtained. Specific structures were designed to enhance absorption of concentrated sunlight in a small material thickness, allowing high carrier density in the absorber.

Domaines: Science des matériaux [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]; Matériaux; Optique [physics.optics]

A. Le Bris, L. Lombez, Jean Francois Guillemoles, Ruben Esteban, Marine Laroche, et al.. HOT CARRIER SOLAR CELLS : IN THE MAKING ?. 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition / 5th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, Sep 2010, Valencia, Spain. ⟨hal-00544780⟩