Ohmic shunts in two-terminal dual-junction solar cells with current mismatch

Oviedo F, Liu Z, Ren Z, Thway M, Buonassisi T, Peters IM (2017)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2017

Journal

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Japan Society of Applied Physics

Book Volume: 56

Article Number: 08MA05

Journal Issue: 8

DOI: 10.7567/JJAP.56.08MA05

Abstract

The impact of ohmic shunts on the current-voltage characteristics of single junction solar cells is well understood. Yet, for monolithic dual-junction solar cells, the effects of shunts have far less been investigated, especially if there is a current mismatch between the two sub cells. In this work, we investigate theoretically and experimentally how current-voltage characteristics of a monolithic GaAs/GaAs tandem solar cell depend on shunts in the top or the bottom sub cell, when either of this sub cells is current limiting. The open-circuit voltage of the device is observed to transition to the open-circuit voltage of the non-shunted sub cell as the shunting increases. In the same way, the fill factor is found to be more significantly affected when ohmic shunts occur in the current-limiting sub cell. Finally, as the current-limiting sub cell is shunted, the short-circuit current of the device is observed to transition to the short-circuit current of the non-current-limiting sub cell. These results allow identifying the shunted sub cell and enable characterization of ohmic shunts under current limiting conditions in dual-junction solar cells.

Involved external institutions

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) US United States (USA) (US) National University of Singapore (NUS) SG Singapore (SG) Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) SG Singapore (SG)

How to cite

APA:

Oviedo, F., Liu, Z., Ren, Z., Thway, M., Buonassisi, T., & Peters, I.M. (2017). Ohmic shunts in two-terminal dual-junction solar cells with current mismatch. Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 56(8). https://doi.org/10.7567/JJAP.56.08MA05

MLA:

Oviedo, Felipe, et al. "Ohmic shunts in two-terminal dual-junction solar cells with current mismatch." Japanese Journal of Applied Physics 56.8 (2017).

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