Luminescent downshifting silicon and perovskite quantum dots for efficiency enhancement of crystalline silicon solar cells.

Masaadeh, Qais (2024) Luminescent downshifting silicon and perovskite quantum dots for efficiency enhancement of crystalline silicon solar cells. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Quantum Dots (QDs) with Luminescent Downshifting (LDS) properties have been investigated for the efficiency enhancement of solar cells. In this thesis, in-house synthesised Phenylacetylene-capped Silicon quantum dots (PA SiQDs) and commercially acquired CsPbIꝫ perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) have been applied as LDS coatings on 39 mm × 39 mm polycrystalline Silicon solar cells (pc-Si), by direct Drop Casting (DC) and a novel coating method named Liquid Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (LEVA).

The PA SiQDs coated solar cells presented an average increase in the short circuit current (ISC) of 0.75% and 1.06% for DC depositions of 0.15 and 0.01 mg, respectively. The increase was further enhanced by full thermal encapsulation of the samples leading to overall improved performance of about 3.4% in terms of ISC when compared to the performance of full thermally-encapsulated reference samples.

The CsPbIꝫ PQDs coated solar cells (via LEVA) presented an average increase of 0.93% in the Isc for depositions of 0.01 mg, with a maximum of 1.55%.

Reflectance measurements revealed that PA SiQDs coatings achieved reductions of 75.7% in specular reflectance and 43.1% in diffuse reflectance between 350-450 nm. Whereas CsPbIꝫ PQDs presented reductions of 58.2% in diffuse reflectance and 9.2% in specular reflectance between 350-400 nm, and 64.5% in diffuse reflectance between 400-930 nm. Changes in reflectance were confirmed as a product of LDS that further aided in the electrical enhancements (Isc).

Using SCAPS-1D, a model validated experimental results by simulating the LDS effect through modifying the solar radiation spectrum (AM1.5G). PA SiQDs and CsPbIꝫ PQDs both showed Isc increases of 1.15% and 1.76%, respectively, both corresponding to 0.01 mg LDS experimental coating.

The observed systematic increase in the Isc is a promising indicator for the use of PA SiQDs and CsPbIꝫ PQDs as LDS material to improve the power conversion efficiency of pc-Si solar cells.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Engineering
Depositing User:	Zoe White
Date Deposited:	28 Jun 2024 14:28
Last Modified:	28 Jun 2024 14:28
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/95706
DOI:

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