Silicon solar cell efficiency improvement employing photoluminescent properties of chlorophyll-A

• Published in: Microelectronic engineering Vol. 216; p. 111047
• Main Authors: Lopez-Delgado, Rosendo, Tostado-Plascencia, Miriam, Álvarez-Ramos, Mario E., Ayón, Arturo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.08.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Atoms & subatomic particles; Chlorophyll; Energy conversion efficiency; Environmental impact; Photoluminescence; Photons; Photovoltaic cells; Silicon; Solar cells; Spinach; Toxicity; Solar cells; Chlorophyll; Photoluminescence
• ISSN: 0167-9317; 1873-5568
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mee.2019.111047

Photoluminescent materials have attracted attention as candidates to improve photovoltaic efficiencies as photon energy conversion films. However, most cases involve materials or methods with either high costs, toxicity or long processing times. In contrast, chlorophyll has drawn big interest due to its photoluminescent properties, in addition to the availability of the inexpensive natural sources. Here, we describe an affordable extraction method of chlorophyll-A from spinach leaves and its influence on the performance of silicon solar cells. The extracted compounds absorb photons in two regions centered at around 428 nm and 660 nm respectively, and subsequently reemit photons with a maximum intensity at 665 nm. The incorporation of this material as a photon manipulation layer on solar cells triggered improvements in their performance. Specifically, the experimental results showed increments in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 15.27% to 15.61% which represents an improvement of the order of 2.23% of the PCE of the solar cells employed. Even though the influence of chlorophyll on the photovoltaic performance was relatively small, the improvement was achieved employing a natural source and the observed results exhibit a very attractive potential of this strategy. Which could be conducive to the promotion of natural based photoluminescent materials due to its affordability and low impact to the environment. [Display omitted] •Chlorophyll-A extraction and redispersion in a transparent PMMA matrix host.•Photoluminescent properties of Chlorophyll-A.•Chlorophyll-A/PMMA film as a down-shifting layer on silicon solar cells.•2.23% improvement on the overall PCE of solar cells with Chlorophyll-A/PMMA films.