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Green Photonics and Electronics pp 263–287Cite as

Novel Thin-Film Photovoltaics—Status and Perspectives

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Part of the book series: NanoScience and Technology ((NANO))

Abstract

In this chapter, we discuss recent advances in novel thin-film photovoltaic devices which allows novel and low-cost applications of photovoltaics. In particular, we discuss organic and perovskite photovoltaics. At the end, we compare the outdoor harvesting efficiency of these novel systems.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Solar spectrum for standardized testing and characterization of solar cells.

  2. 2.

    The active layer consists of a sequence of at least three absorber materials, whereby adjacent materials form either a planar or bulk heterjunction.

  3. 3.

    As a secondary effect, another partial reflection at the transparent surface will furthermore reflect part of the remaining intensity back into the device, creating an effective cavity between front surface and back contact [15].

  4. 4.

    This concept can be extended beyond two cells, however, the further discussion is limited to two sub-cells where it covers all relevant issues.

  5. 5.

    The MPP denotes the operation voltage, at which the output power, i.e. the product of the output voltage and the output current, is highest. It is found at a voltage slightly below the open-circuit voltage, with its actual position depending on the specific device and its operating conditions.

  6. 6.

    In this simplified description, reflection from the back contact is omitted. In a more detailed view, again, the full interference pattern needs to be taken into account, as discussed above for a single junction cell.

  7. 7.

    The stack sequence is as follows: indium tin oxide/ N,N-Bis(fluoren-2-yl)-naphthalenetetracarboxylic diimide [36] n-doped with 7wt% (weight-percent) tetrakis(1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidinato)ditungsten (II) [37], [38] (thickness 5 nm)/ C60 (15 nm)/ DCV5T:C60 (mixing ratio 2:1 by volume, 40 nm)/ 9,9-bis[4-(N,N-bis-biphenyl-4-yl-amino)phenyl]-9H-fluorene) (BPAPF [39]) (5 nm)/ BPAPF p-doped with 10wt% NDP9 (commercial p-dopant by Novaled) (30 nm)/ N,N'-((Diphenyl-N,N'-bis)9,9,-dimethyl-fluoren-2-yl)-benzidine [40] p-doped with 10 wt% NDP9 (10 nm)/ NDP9 (1 nm)/ Al (100 nm).

  8. 8.

    The OPV cell is measured with a Keithley 2400 source-measure unit, whereas the large modules are measured with a PVPM 2540C source-measure unit.

  9. 9.

    Kipp and Zonen CMP 11.

  10. 10.

    SOZ-03.

  11. 11.

    Tc = Tambient + (TNOCT – 20) * ( I/ 800 W/m2) [41].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dresden Integrated Center for Applied Physics and Photonic Materials (IAPP) and Institute for Applied Physics, TU Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany

    Benjamin Oesen, Sascha Ullbrich, Johannes Widmer & Karl Leo

Authors
  1. Benjamin Oesen
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  2. Sascha Ullbrich
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  3. Johannes Widmer
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  4. Karl Leo
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Correspondence to Karl Leo .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departmenmt of Electriocal Engineeering and Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

    Gadi Eisenstein

  2. Center of NanoPhotonics, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Dieter Bimberg

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Oesen, B., Ullbrich, S., Widmer, J., Leo, K. (2017). Novel Thin-Film Photovoltaics—Status and Perspectives. In: Eisenstein, G., Bimberg, D. (eds) Green Photonics and Electronics. NanoScience and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67002-7_10

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