Improved properties of phosphor-filled luminescent down-shifting layers: Reduced scattering, optical model, and optimization for PV application

Solodovnyk A, Lipovsek B, Forberich K, Stern E, Krc J, Batentschuk M, Topic M, Brabec C (2015)

Publication Language: English

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Conference contribution, Conference Contribution

Publication year: 2015

Publisher: SPIE

Book Volume: 9668

Article Number: 966843

Event location: Sydney AU

ISBN: 9781628418903

DOI: 10.1117/12.2202343

Abstract

We studied the optical properties of polymer layers filled with phosphor particles in two aspects. First, we used two different polymer binders with refractive indices n = 1.46 and n = 1.61 (λ = 600 nm) to decrease Δn with the phosphor particles (n = 1.81). Second, we prepared two particle size distributions D50 = 12 μm and D50 = 19 μm. The particles were dispersed in both polymer binders in several volume concentrations and coated onto glass with thicknesses of 150-600 μm. We present further a newly developed optical model for simulation and optimization of such luminescent down-shifting (LDS) layers. The model is developed within the ray tracing framework of the existing optical simulator CROWM (Combined Ray Optics/Wave Optics Model), which enables simulation of standalone LDS layers as well as complete solar cells (including thick and thin layers) enhanced by the LDS layers for an improved solar spectrum harvesting. Experimental results and numerical simulations show that the layers of the higher refractive index binder with larger particles result in the highest optical transmittance in the visible light spectrum. Finally we proved that scattering of the phosphor particles in the LDS layers may increase the overall light harvesting in the solar cell. We used numerical simulations to determine optimal layer composition for application in realistic thin-film photovoltaic devices. Surprisingly LDS layers with lower measured optical transmittance are more efficient when applied onto the solar cells due to graded refractive index and efficient light scattering. Therefore, our phosphor-filled LDS layers could possibly complement other light-coupling techniques in photovoltaics.

Authors with CRIS profile

Karen Forberich Institute Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET) Miroslaw Batentschuk Institute Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET) Christoph Brabec Institute Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET)

Involved external institutions

Bayerisches Zentrum für Angewandte Energieforschung e.V. (ZAE Bayern) DE Germany (DE) University of Ljubljana (UL) / Univerza v Ljubljani SI Slovenia (SI)

How to cite

APA:

Solodovnyk, A., Lipovsek, B., Forberich, K., Stern, E., Krc, J., Batentschuk, M.,... Brabec, C. (2015). Improved properties of phosphor-filled luminescent down-shifting layers: Reduced scattering, optical model, and optimization for PV application. In Proceedings of the SPIE Micro+Nano Materials, Devices, and Applications Symposium. Sydney, AU: SPIE.

MLA:

Solodovnyk, Anastasiia, et al. "Improved properties of phosphor-filled luminescent down-shifting layers: Reduced scattering, optical model, and optimization for PV application." Proceedings of the SPIE Micro+Nano Materials, Devices, and Applications Symposium, Sydney SPIE, 2015.

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