EAGER:TDM Solar Cells: Research on CdSe-Si tandem junction cells

EAGER:TDM太阳能电池：CdSe-Si串联结电池的研究

• 批准号: 1664945
• 负责人: Vikram Dalal
• 金额: $ 29.99万
• 依托单位: Iowa State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-03-15 至 2020-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1664945&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAGER; TDM; Solar; Cells; Research

Abstract:Non-technical description of the projectThe conversion of solar energy into electricity using photovoltaic (PV) technology is an important technology with significant potential for reducing global warming. Currently, the costs of the PV solar energy system are dominated by systems related costs, such as structural costs, field wiring and the costs of chemical encapsulant materials and glass. In order to significantly reduce the total costs of solar PV technology, the conversion efficiency needs to be increased from the current ~15-20% to 30%, because most of the systems costs reduce proportionately with an increase inefficiency. The only way to achieve such higher efficiencies is to use a tandem junction solar cell, comprising two materials, one with a high bandgap and one with a lower bandgap. In this project, we will investigate the fundamental properties of an inorganic material, CdSe, then make solar cells in this material, and then make proof-of-concept tandem junction solar cells by combining cells made in this material with cells made in Si. The project will involve the research training of graduate and undergraduate students, including women scientists. The advantage to society is a significant lowering of the cost of solar energy conversion technology, thereby accelerating the deployment of solar energy into the nation's grid. The project is a joint project between Iowa State University and Syracuse University.Technical description of the project:CdSe is an interesting new material with a bandgap (~1.72 eV) which is in the range needed to make tandem cells with Si. But not much is known about the electronic properties of this material, nor have any high efficiency cells been made in this material. A fundamental objective of this project is to study electronic properties of thin films of this material and then make proof-of-concept solar cells in the material. Among the properties to be studied will be doping concentration, mobility of electrons and holes, deep defect densities and recombination phenomena, minority carrier diffusion lengths, electron affinities and energies of band edges. Structural, electronic and optical measurement techniques will be used to measure the relevant properties. CdSe films will be deposited using multi-source evaporation techniques.In addition to studying these fundamental electronic properties, we will make proof-of-concept devices using appropriate heterojunctions. In addition, we will make proof-of-concept tandem cells using tunnel junctions between CdSe and Si. The objective is to demonstrate that one can indeed make tandem junction cells using this new material system. Appropriate heavily doped contact layers will be used on both CdSe and c-Si cells to make efficient tunnel junctions to connect the two cells. The goal is to obtain an open-circuit voltage of ~1.5V in a tandem cell, and also a high fill factor, thereby demonstrating that the tandem junction concept works. The intellectual merit of the project lies in systematically investigating the potential of a stable, inorganic material system for making high efficiency solar cells.

摘要：该项目的非技术描述使用光伏（PV）技术将太阳能转换为电力是一项重要技术，具有减少全球变暖的重要潜力。当前，PV太阳能系统的成本主要由系统相关成本（例如结构成本，现场接线以及化学封装材料和玻璃的成本）主导。为了显着降低太阳能光伏技术的总成本，需要从目前的〜15-20％提高转换效率，因为大多数系统成本随着效率提高而成比例地降低。达到如此较高效率的唯一方法是使用一个串联交界太阳能电池，其中包括两种材料，一种具有高带隙和较低带隙的材料。在该项目中，我们将研究无机材料CDSE的基本特性，然后在该材料中制作太阳能电池，然后通过将其在该材料中制成的细胞与SI制造的细胞相结合，从而做出概念验证串联连接太阳能电池。该项目将涉及包括女科学家在内的研究生和本科生的研究培训。对社会的好处是，太阳能转化技术的成本大大降低，从而加速了太阳能在国家电网中的部署。该项目是爱荷华州立大学和锡拉丘兹大学之间的一个联合项目。该项目的技术描述：CDSE是一种有趣的新材料，带有带隙（〜1.72 eV），它在与Si一起制作串联细胞所需的范围内。但是，对于这种材料的电子特性知之甚少，在该材料中也没有任何高效率细胞。该项目的一个基本目的是研究该材料的薄膜的电子特性，然后在材料中制作概念验证太阳能电池。在要研究的特性中，将是兴奋剂浓度，电子和孔的迁移率，深色缺陷密度和重组现象，少数载体扩散长度，电子亲和力和带边缘的能量。结构，电子和光学测量技术将用于测量相关特性。 CDSE膜将使用多源蒸发技术沉积。除了研究这些基本电子特性外，我们还将使用适当的异质界制作概念验证设备。此外，我们将使用CDSE和SI之间的隧道连接进行概念验证串联细胞。目的是证明确实可以使用这种新材料系统制作串联连接细胞。 CDSE和C-SI细胞将使用适当的重掺杂接触层，以使两个单元连接有效的隧道连接。目的是在串联电池中获得〜1.5V的开路电压，也是一个高填充因子，从而证明串联连接概念有效。该项目的智力优点在于系统地研究稳定的无机材料系统制造高效率太阳能电池的潜力。

项目成果

Efficient Heterojunction Thin Film CdSe Solar Cells Deposited Using Thermal Evaporation

采用热蒸发沉积的高效异质结薄膜 CdSe 太阳能电池

• 发表时间: 2019
• 期刊: Conference record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference
• 作者: Bagheri, Behrang;Kottokkaran, Ranjith;Poly, Laila;Sharikadze, Saba;Reichert, Benjamin;Noack, Max;Dalal, Vikram
• 通讯作者: Dalal, Vikram

Influence of post-deposition selenization and cadmium chloride assisted grain enhancement on electronic properties of cadmium selenide thin films

沉积后硒化和氯化镉辅助晶粒增强对硒化镉薄膜电子性能的影响

• DOI: 10.1063/1.5124881
• 发表时间: 2019
• 期刊: AIP Advances
• 影响因子: 1.6
• 作者: Bagheri, Behrang;Kottokkaran, Ranjith;Poly, Laila-Parvin;Reichert, Ben;Sharikadze, Saba;Noack, Max;Dalal, Vikram
• 通讯作者: Dalal, Vikram