A Power Loss‐Based Modeling of Power Conversion Efficiency in Organic and Perovskite Solar Cells

• Published in: Physica status solidi. A, Applications and materials science Vol. 221; no. 6
• Main Authors: Mehdizadeh‐Rad, Hooman, Setsoafia, Daniel Dodzi Yao, Sreedhar Ram, Kiran, Abdi‐Jalebi, Mojtaba, Ompong, David, Singh, Jai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.03.2024
• Subjects: Carrier recombination; Current carriers; Electric power loss; Electrodes; Energy conversion efficiency; Excitons; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; organic solar cells; perovskite solar cells; Perovskites; Photovoltaic cells; power conversion efficiency; power loss; Simulation; Solar cells; Thermalization (energy absorption)
• ISSN: 1862-6300; 1862-6319
• DOI: 10.1002/pssa.202300814

This article presents a new mathematical model for simulating the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs) and perovskite solar cells (PSCs). This model incorporates all power losses that can occur before the charge carriers are collected by their respective electrodes. This includes power loss due to thermalization of the charge carriers above the bandgap (PThermal$P_{\text{Thermal}}$), charge carrier recombination (Prec)$P_{\text{rec}} \left.\right)$, dissociation of excitons (PBI)$P_{\text{BI}} \left.\right)$, and the transport of free charge carriers to their respective electrodes through the energy off‐sets (PB)$P_{\text{B}} \left.\right)$. By quantifying each power loss, the model can simulate the net electrical power generated by a solar cell and estimate its PCE. The validity of the mathematical model is tested by comparing the calculated PCE of an OSC and a PSC with their experimental results and the results obtained from the conventional simulation, which are found to be in good agreement. It is found that the highest power loss occurs due to PThermal$P_{\text{Thermal}}$ in both OSC and PSC. Compared to conventional models, this model establishes a direct relationship between PCE and individual power losses that may occur in both OSCs and PSCs. A novel mathematical model has been developed to simulate the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs) and perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Unlike conventional models, it directly links PCE to specific power losses in both OSCs and PSCs, with PThermal$P_{\text{Thermal}}$ identified as the primary loss due to charge carrier thermalization.