Bifacial flexible CIGS thin-film solar cells with nonlinearly graded-bandgap photon-absorbing layers

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Author(s)Ahmad, Faiz
Author(s)Monk, Peter B.
Author(s)Lakhtakia, Akhlesh
Date Accessioned2024-04-29T17:18:56Z
Date Available2024-04-29T17:18:56Z
Publication Date2024-03-06
DescriptionThis article was originally published in JPhys Energy. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7655/ad29fd. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd
AbstractThe building sector accounts for 36% of energy consumption and 39% of energy-related greenhouse-gas emissions. Integrating bifacial photovoltaic solar cells in buildings could significantly reduce energy consumption and related greenhouse gas emissions. Bifacial solar cells should be flexible, bifacially balanced for electricity production, and perform reasonably well under weak-light conditions. Using rigorous optoelectronic simulation software and the differential evolution algorithm, we optimized symmetric/asymmetric bifacial CIGS solar cells with either (i) homogeneous or (ii) graded-bandgap photon-absorbing layers and a flexible central contact layer of aluminum-doped zinc oxide to harvest light outdoors as well as indoors. Indoor light was modeled as a fraction of the standard sunlight. Also, we computed the weak-light responses of the CIGS solar cells using LED illumination of different light intensities. The optimal bifacial CIGS solar cell with graded-bandgap photon-absorbing layers is predicted to perform with 18%–29% efficiency under 0.01–1.0-Sun illumination; furthermore, efficiencies of 26.08% and 28.30% under weak LED light illumination of 0.0964 mW cm−2 and 0.22 mW cm−2 intensities, respectively, are predicted.
SponsorThe authors appreciate constructive comments from two anonymous reviewers. A Lakhtakia thanks the Charles Godfrey Binder Endowment at The Pennsylvania State University for ongoing support of his research. The research of F Ahmad and A Lakhtakia was partially supported by US National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant Number DMS-2011996. The research of P B Monk was supported by the US NSF under Grant Number DMS-2011603.
CitationAhmad, Faiz, Peter B Monk, and Akhlesh Lakhtakia. “Bifacial Flexible CIGS Thin-Film Solar Cells with Nonlinearly Graded-Bandgap Photon-Absorbing Layers.” Journal of Physics: Energy 6, no. 2 (April 1, 2024): 025012. https://doi.org/10.1088/2515-7655/ad29fd.
ISSN2515-7655
URLhttps://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/34321
Languageen_US
PublisherJPhys Energy
dc.rightsAttribution 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
KeywordsCIGS solar cells
Keywordsbandgap grading
Keywordsoptoelectronic optimization
Keywordsbifacial thin-film solar cell
Keywordsbuilding-integrated photovoltaics
TitleBifacial flexible CIGS thin-film solar cells with nonlinearly graded-bandgap photon-absorbing layers
TypeArticle
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