Improvement of conversion efficiency of silicon solar cells using up-conversion molybdate La2Mo2O9: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.