Improvement of conversion efficiency of silicon solar cells using up-conversion molybdate La(2)Mo(2)O(9):Yb,R (R=Er, Ho) phosphors

Abstract

The goal of this work was aimed to improve the power conversion efficiency of single crystalline silicon-based photovoltaic cells by using the solar spectral conversion principle, which employs an up-conversion phosphor to convert a low energy infrared photon to the more energetic visible photons to improve the spectral response. In this study, the surface of multicrystalline silicon solar cells was coated with an up-conversion molybdate phosphor to improve the spectral response of the solar cell in the near-infrared spectral range. The short circuit current (I(sc)), open circuit voltage (V(oc)), and conversion efficiency (eta) of spectral conversion cells were measured. Preliminary experimental results revealed that the light conversion efficiency of a 1.5%-2.7% increase in Si-based cell was achieved.