Review of Multi-junction Solar Cell & Factors Impacting the Efficiency of Multi-junction Solar Cell

ABSTRACT

Multi-junction solar cells have the highest efficiency among all the other traditional single-junction cells. The efficiency of single-junction photovoltaic cells can hardly meet all the needs due to their small absorption range of the incident light spectrum. Furthermore, photons of short wavelengths are more penetrating than long-wavelength photons; thus, gathering a wide range of long-wavelength lights to reach the bottom of SJSC becomes challenging. As a result, III – V compound semiconductors are introduced to invent multi-junction solar cells to achieve an efficiency of over 35% and a maximum of 47.1%. This depends on their outstanding performance of different materials constructing multi-layers and their wide-ranging light absorption for specific parts of the spectrum. In this work, initiating with essential concepts of MJSC, we present efforts to variables influencing the efficiency of MJSC, interrelated challenges to achieve expected performance of actual materials, typical implementation, environmental impacts, and future prospects. Based on the fundamental principle of MJSC, we discover that the efficiency of the solar cell can depend on the coefficient of absorption, features of thin films, the thickness of the active materials, temperature, and altitude.

KEYWORDS:

• Solar
• photovoltaics
• semiconductor
• energy
• review

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the submitted article.

Author contributions

SL provided the idea and formal analysis of the work. SL and CH organized the framework of this manuscript. SL, CH, and PW helped with reviewing and editing the article. All authors have aided with writing the draft.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was received for this paper.

Notes on contributors

Shihao Li

Shihao Li, B.S., M.S. Candidate Shihao Li earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in Dynamics Systems and Control, at the University of Texas at Austin. His research interests encompass optimal control strategies, automatic control systems design, dynamics of mechanical systems, and machine learning in control.

Chengshuo Hao

Chengshuo Hao, M.S. Candidate Chengshuo Hao is an M.S. Candidate at Boston University's MET College, specializing in Data Analytics, Computer Networks, Database Management, and Business Intelligence.

Peiyu Wu

PeiYu Wu is a first-year physics major at Brandeis University's School of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on renewable energy, with specializations in fluid dynamics and photoelectric phenomena.

Jinghang Ji

Jinghang Ji, Senior High School Student Jinghang Ji is a senior student at Nanjing Foreign Language School in Nanjing, People's Republic of China.

Yijin Yang

Yijin Yang, B.S. Candidate Yijin Yang is a junior student majoring in Electrical Computer Engineering and a minor in Computer Science at Vanderbilt University. His main research interest is RF circuit design in wireless receive coils, birdcage transceivers, and self-decoupled antenna arrays for 1.5T, 3T, and 7T MRI machines.

Jiatong Yao

Jiatong Yao, Senior High School Student Jiatong Yao is a senior at Keystone Academy, where she is pursuing advanced courses in Physics, Mathematics, and Computer Science through the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.