Contour PV

Sweep parameters to generate contour plots of photovoltaic device characteristics

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Version 1.0 - published on 27 Jul 2018

doi:10.4231/D3000029C cite this

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Abstract

ContourPV is a simulation tool, which simulates various combinations of values of different device characteristics to optimize and predict photovoltaic performance. ContourPV sweeps the inputted range of values for each chosen device or layer characteristic and obtains performance data by utilizing the drift-diffusion solver, ADEPT. ContourPV plots these metrics in contour plots as output. The parameters that can be swept include Shockley-Read-Hall recombination lifetime, doping concentration, radiative recombination coefficient, and surface recombination velocity for front and rear contacts. Open circuit voltage, short circuit current, fill factor and efficiency are available as output. This tool can provide researchers with intuitive simulation results to predict the performance of a solar cell design, determine material properties based on experimental current-voltage measurements, and help predict performance crossover regions between different device designs. Silicon and GaInP are investigated as example materials in ContourPV: silicon because it is the most common material for commercial solar panels, and GaInP because it is a strong candidate for high-efficiency multijunction solar cells. Furthermore, a wide range of other material systems can be simulated in this tool by users of ADEPT.

Zhu, Y., Perna, A., & Bermel, P. (2018). Predicting and Optimizing Solar Cell Performance with Material Characteristics. Manuscript submitted for publication

Cite this work

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

  • Yiheng Zhu, Valerie C Vidal, Allison Perna, Peter Bermel (2018), "Contour PV," https://nanohub.org/resources/contourpv. (DOI: 10.4231/D3000029C).

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