Systematic Study of the PCE and Device Operation of Organic Tandem Solar Cells

• Published in: IEEE journal of photovoltaics Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 202 - 210
• Main Authors: Fallahpour, Amir Hossein, Gentilini, Desiree, Gagliardi, Alessio, Auf der Maur, Matthias, Lugli, Paolo, Di Carlo, Aldo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-01-2016
• Subjects: Absorption; Computational modeling; Computer architecture; Computer simulation; Design engineering; Design optimization; Disorders; Energy conversion efficiency; Excitons; Interconnection; Mathematical model; Microprocessors; multijunction solar cell; organic semiconductor; Photovoltaic cells; photovoltaics; Radiative recombination; simulation; Solar cells; tandem solar cell; thin-film devices; Computational modeling; tandem solar cell; thin-film devices; simulation; multijunction solar cell; organic semiconductor; photovoltaics
• ISSN: 2156-3381; 2156-3403
• DOI: 10.1109/JPHOTOV.2015.2486382

By combining optical and drift-diffusion models, a comprehensive simulation of power conversion efficiency of tandem solar cells is presented. To obtain consistent current-voltage characteristics of polymer tandem solar cells, the model takes into account correct description of organic-metal interfaces and organic semiconductor physics, in order to include the effect of interfaces and energetic disorder. A generalized methodology is developed to obtain the current-voltage characteristics of polymer tandem solar cells, which fully accounts for the interplay between the two subcells. The model is applied to the tandem cell with different commercially available polymers and for different subcell thicknesses and interconnection architectures. Based on the results of this model, it will be possible to design and optimize tandem structures toward higher efficiencies. Finally, it is concluded that the parallel configuration shows the highest performance over all studied cell structures.