Geometrical optimization and electrical performance comparison of thin-film tandem structures based on pm-Si:H and µc-Si:H using computer simulation

Foudil Dadouche (1) , Olivier Bethoux (1) , Marie-Estelle Gueunier-Farret (1) , Erik Johnson (2) , Pere Roca I Cabarrocas (2) , C. Marchand (1) , Jean-Paul Kleider (1)

1 LGEP - Laboratoire de génie électrique de Paris
2 LPICM - Laboratoire de physique des interfaces et des couches minces [Palaiseau]

This article investigates the optimal efficiency of a photovoltaic system based on a silicon thin film tandem cell using polymorphous and microcrystalline silicon for the top and bottom elementary cells, respectively. Two ways of connecting the cells are studied and compared: (1) a classical structure in which the two cells are electrically and optically coupled; and (2) a new structure for which the "current-matching" constraint is released by the electrical decoupling of the two cells. For that purpose, we used a computer simulation to perform geometrical optimization of the studied structures as well as their electrical performance evaluation. The simulation results show that the second structure is more interesting in terms of efficiency.

Domaines: Science des matériaux [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

Foudil Dadouche, Olivier Bethoux, Marie-Estelle Gueunier-Farret, Erik Johnson, Pere Roca I Cabarrocas, et al.. Geometrical optimization and electrical performance comparison of thin-film tandem structures based on pm-Si:H and µc-Si:H using computer simulation. EPJ Photovoltaics, 2011, 2, pp.20301. ⟨10.1051/pvd/2011001⟩. ⟨hal-00642129⟩