RT Journal Article
T1 Numerical optimisation and recombination effects on the vertical-tunnel-junction (VTJ) GaAs solar cell up to 10,000 suns
A1 Outes Castro, Celia
A1 Fernández, Eduardo F.
A1 Seoane Iglesias, Natalia
A1 Almonacid, Florencia
A1 García Loureiro, Antonio Jesús
K1 Vertical solar cells
K1 Series resistance
K1 Gallium arsenide (GaAs)
K1 Tunnel diode
K1 Concentrator photovoltaics
AB Ultra-high concentrator photovoltaic systems (UHCPV), usually referred to CPV systems exceeding 1000 suns, are signalled as one of the most promising research avenues to produce a new generation of high-efficiency and low-cost CPV systems. However, the structure of current concentrator solar cells prevents their development due to the unavoidable series resistance losses at such elevated concentration ratios. In this work, we investigate the performance of the so-called vertical-tunnel-junction (VTJ), recently introduced by the authors, by using advance TCAD. In particular, we carry out an optimisation procedure of the key parameters that affect its performance and conduct a deep investigation of the impact of the main recombination mechanisms and of sun concentration up to 10,000 suns. The results indicate that the performance of the novel structure is not significantly affected by these two factors. A record efficiency of 32.2% at 10,000 suns has been found. This represents a promising way to obtain state-of-the-art efficiencies above 30% for single-band-gap cells, and offers a new route towards the development of competitive CPV systems operating at ultra-high concentration fluxes
PB Elsevier
SN 0038-092X
YR 2020
FD 2020
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/24652
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/24652
LA eng
NO Solar Energy, Volume 203, June 2020, Pages 136-144
NO E. F. Fernández and F. Almonacid thank the Spanish Economy Ministry and FEDER funds received under the project ENE2016-78251-R. N. Seoane and A. J. García Loureiro thank Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and FEDER funds (TIN2016-76373-P) and the Xunta de Galicia and FEDER funds (GRC 2014/008). N. Seoane and E.F. Fernández also thank the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (RYC-2017-23312, RYC-2017-21910). C. Outes also thanks the Ayudas predoctorales para la Formación de Personal Investigador con cargo a la Acción 9.a) del Plan de Apoyo a la Investigación de la Universidad de Jaén (ERC_2019_1)
DS Minerva
RD 29 abr 2026