Thermal and angular dependence of next-generation photovoltaics under indoor lighting

Abstract

Next-generation photovoltaic technologies such as dye-sensitized solar cells, organic thin-film photovoltaics and perovskite solar cells are promising to efficiently harvest ambient light energy. However, more and deeper understanding of their photovoltaic characteristics is essential to create new applications under room light illumination. In this study, for the first time, the difference in temperature coefficients and angular dependence of photovoltaic parameters for the large-area devices are investigated systematically under the compact fluorescent lamp and light-emitting diode light. These emerging photovoltaic devices, compared with the single crystalline silicon solar cells, not only have higher open-circuit voltage (up to approximate 1 V) and better power conversion efficiency (in the range of 9.2% similar to 22.6%) but also exhibit less temperature dependent voltage and output power (< -0.6% degrees C-1), as well as broader angular response (over 75 degrees). The state-of-the-art dye-sensitized and organic thin-film devices also show advantageously positive temperature coefficients of current, and the latter even has positive thermal dependence of fill factor. These features suggest the next-generation photovoltaic devices are more favorable than the conventional crystalline silicon solar cells for real-life indoor applications.