Transformations of the wavelength of the light incident upon solar cells

Abstract

A method for the improvement of the spectral response of solar cells was proposed. The attachment of the fluorescent plate on the CdS/CdTe cells made the cell sensitive to the light at wavelength below 510 nm, transforming the wavelength of the incident light from non-photoresponsive region (below 510 nm) to photoresponsive region (above 510 nm). A simple analytical model for the maximum power of the cell showed that the increase in the maximum power for the irradiation of sunlight (Air Mass 1.5, direct) was 33%. Furthermore, a possible increase amounted to 40%, if the fluorescent quantum efficiency took the value of 1.0 and that the wavelength of the absorbed light was completely shifted above 510 nm where internal quantum efficiency of the solar cell is equal to 1.0. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.