Enhanced near-infrared response of a Si:H solar cells with β-NaYF4:Yb3+(18%), Er3+(2%) upconversion phosphors
Publication date
2010
Authors
de Wild, J.
Meijerink, A.
Rath, J.K.
van Sark, W. G.J.H.M.
Schropp, R. E.I.
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Abstract
A near-infrared to visible upconversion phosphor (β-NaYF4:Yb3+ (18%), Er3+ (2%)) has been applied at the back of a thin film hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cell in combination with a white back reflector to investigate its response to sub-bandgap infrared irradiation. Current–voltage measurements were performed on the solar cells. A maximum current enhancement of 6.2 μA was measured on illumination with a 980 nm diode laser at 28 mW. This corresponds to an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 0.03% of the solar cell. A small part, 0.01%, was due to the direct absorption of sub-bandgap radiation but the larger part originates from upconversion. These experiments constitute a proof-of-principle for the utilization of photon upconversion in thin film solar cells. A close match between the non-linear behavior of the upconversion material and the EQE was found by varying the intensity of the laser light
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de Wild, J, Meijerink, A, Rath, J K, van Sark, W G J H M & Schropp, R E I 2010, 'Enhanced near-infrared response of a Si:H solar cells with β-NaYF4:Yb3+(18%), Er3+(2%) upconversion phosphors', Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, vol. 94, pp. 2395-2398. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2015.04.020