Evaluation of Voltage-Matched 2T Multi-Junction Modules Based on Monte Carlo Ray Tracing

Roberto Corso, Marco Leonardi, Rachela G. Milazzo, Andrea Scuto, Stefania M. S. Privitera, Marina Foti, Cosimo Gerardi and Salvatore A. Lombardo ()
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Roberto Corso: Istituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IMM), VIII Strada, 5, Z.I., 95121 Catania, Italy
Marco Leonardi: Istituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IMM), VIII Strada, 5, Z.I., 95121 Catania, Italy
Rachela G. Milazzo: Istituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IMM), VIII Strada, 5, Z.I., 95121 Catania, Italy
Andrea Scuto: Istituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IMM), VIII Strada, 5, Z.I., 95121 Catania, Italy
Stefania M. S. Privitera: Istituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IMM), VIII Strada, 5, Z.I., 95121 Catania, Italy
Marina Foti: Enel Green Power, Contrada Blocco Torrazze sn—Z.I., 95121 Catania, Italy
Cosimo Gerardi: Enel Green Power, Contrada Blocco Torrazze sn—Z.I., 95121 Catania, Italy
Salvatore A. Lombardo: Istituto per la Microelettronica e Microsistemi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IMM), VIII Strada, 5, Z.I., 95121 Catania, Italy

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: As Si single-junction technology is approaching its Shockley–Queisser theoretical limit, relevant efforts are being expended towards the development of multi-junction modules. In this work, we employ an optical model based on Monte Carlo ray tracing to compare four different multi-junction modules in a voltage-matched two-terminal (VM2T) configuration. In particular, we took into consideration the VM2T coupling of crystalline silicon cells with CuInxGa1-xSe2 (CIGS), CdTe, GaAs and perovskite (PVK) solar cells. We optimized the thicknesses of each layer in the top sub-module and determined the performance of VM2T modules in the Shockley–Queisser theoretical limit. We also considered the possibility of using modules in which the top Si surface is flat to determine the performance drop due to the absence of the texturization on the top Si surface. Moreover, we determined the optimal bandgap energy of PVK in a VM2T PVK/Si module as well as the highest efficiency achievable. Lastly, we show that when using state-of-the-art cells, the highest VM2T efficiency achievable for the considered materials is 34.2% under standard test conditions.

Keywords: multi-junction modules; Monte Carlo ray tracing; III-V solar cells; perovskite solar cells (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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