Professional Documents
Culture Documents
www.advenergymat.de
λgap
Anand et al. introduce an implicit equation for transparent conductive JSC,TCE = q ⋅ ∫ AM 1.5G ( λ ) ⋅ TTCE ( λ ) ⋅ d λ (4)
0
C. P. Muzzillo
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Here, VOC,DB and FFDB are the detailed balance open-cir-
15013 Denver W Pkwy cuit voltage and fill factor, respectively. While Equation (9) is
Golden, CO 80401, USA explicit, it does not match ϕAnand near the piecewise transition
E-mail: christopher.muzzillo@nrel.gov (Figure 2).
The ORCID identification number(s) for the author(s) of this article On the other hand, previous work has shown that lumping
can be found under https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202103119.
series resistance externally yields an exact, explicit equation for
DOI: 10.1002/aenm.202103119 TCE merit.[5–7] For example, a uniform TCE applied to a solar
Adv. Energy Mater. 2022, 12, 2103119 2103119 (1 of 6) © Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA
16146840, 2022, 23, Downloaded from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aenm.202103119 by Cochrane Portugal, Wiley Online Library on [07/04/2024]. See the Terms and Conditions (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/terms-and-conditions) on Wiley Online Library for rules of use; OA articles are governed by the applicable Creative Commons License
www.advancedsciencenews.com www.advenergymat.de
Figure 1. Schematic showing the architecture and dimensions of a) the uncontacted TCE of ϕAnand and FOMTCE, b) the TCE with monolith deadspace
of FOMTCE,mono, and c) the TCE with monoliths and a grid of FOMTCE,mono,grid. Cell length (L), deadspace (d), grid metal height (hmetal), grid wire width
(w), and grid wire spacing (s) are defined.
cell operating at its MP point with current density (JMP) and J MP,TCE ⋅VMP,TCE Rsh,TCE ⋅ L2 ⋅ J MP
voltage (VMP) would reduce its current and voltage to JMP,TCE FOM TCE = = TTCE,avg ⋅ 1 − (12)
J MP ⋅VMP 3 ⋅VMP
and VMP,TCE
Equation (12) itself has not been previously published, but its
J MP,TCE = J MP ⋅ TTCE,avg (10) series resistance dependence was first evaluated at JSC/VOC in
1981,[9] and since then similar forms have been used to assess
Rsh,TCE ⋅ L2 ⋅ J MP transparent conductor merit: Jacobs et al.’s “efficiency factor”
VMP,TCE = VMP − R TCE ⋅ A ⋅ J MP = VMP − (11) (called FOMTCE in this Comment) simplifies to Equation (12)
3
for an interconnection width of 0.[5] Rowell and McGehee addi-
Equations (10) and (11) assume that JMP,TCE is only affected tionally used the empirical 0.38JSC/VOC and considered voltage
by TTCE,avg and VMP,TCE is only affected by RTCE.[8] The solution effects on JMP.[7] Equation (12) is shown as a function of Rsh,TCE
for an FOM is then in Figure 2. FOMTCE and ϕAnand are very similar for high perfor-
mance TCEs, but they diverge for TCEs with high Rsh,TCE.
Many authors have used analytical and numerical methods
to analyze how distributed series resistance affects PV perfor-
mance.[3,10] However, these models require time, expertise, and
specific knowledge of the materials and architecture, making
series resistance lumping an attractive general approach
for screening TCE materials. Koishiyev and Sites modeled the
effect of RTCE on FF for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) and amorphous
silicon (a-Si) by simulating distributed series resistance.[3] To
test the accuracy of the lumped series resistance approaches,
Figure 3 compares the normalized FF (FF/FF0) literature data to
ϕAnand and FOMTCE. For ϕAnand, the band gap energy (Egap) was
chosen so that JSC,DB/VOC,DB was equal to the literature micro-
cell JSC/VOC (0.05406 Ω−1 cm−2 and 0.003720 Ω−1 cm−2 for CIGS
and a-Si, respectively), and the corresponding JMP,DB/VMP,DB
were used for the FOMTCE calculations. Figure 3 shows that
ϕAnand and FOMTCE are almost indistinguishable, and both
show excellent fit to the data. In conclusion, for reasonable
FOM values (>0.6), both approaches to lumping series resist-
Figure 2. Figures of merit versus TCE sheet resistance (Rsh,TCE): ance yield equivalent results, although external lumping has
Anand et al. exact FOM (ϕAnand; black), Anand et al. approximate FOM
the advantage of an explicit equation.
(ϕAnand,approx; gray dashed), and FOMTCE (teal). Calculations use L = 0.5 cm,
TTCE,avg = 0.9, a band gap of 1100 nm for ϕAnand, JSC,DB = 43.52 mA cm−2, The approach used by Anand et al. and the one shown here
VOC,DB = 883.2 mV, FFDB = 0.8705 for ϕAnand,approx, and JMP,DB = 42.15 mA cm−2 yield similar results because they both approximate the effect of
and VMP,DB = 793.9 mV for FOMTCE. adding a TCE with Rsh,TCE and TTCE(λ) to an arbitrary solar cell
Adv. Energy Mater. 2022, 12, 2103119 2103119 (2 of 6) © Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA
16146840, 2022, 23, Downloaded from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aenm.202103119 by Cochrane Portugal, Wiley Online Library on [07/04/2024]. See the Terms and Conditions (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/terms-and-conditions) on Wiley Online Library for rules of use; OA articles are governed by the applicable Creative Commons License
www.advancedsciencenews.com www.advenergymat.de
Figure 3. Simulated results from the literature for distributed series resistance’s effect on normalized FF (FF/FF0) for a) CIGS (JSC/VOC = 0.05406 Ω−1 cm−2)
and b) a-Si (JSC/VOC = 0.003720 Ω−1 cm−2), compared with ϕAnand and FOMTCE. For CIGS, ϕAnand uses Egap = 1.070 eV (JSC,DB/VOC,DB = 0.05406 Ω−1 cm−2)
and FOMTCE uses the corresponding MP values for Egap = 1.070 eV (JMP,DB/VMP,DB = 0.05842 Ω−1 cm−2). For a-Si, ϕAnand uses Egap = 2.387 eV (JSC,DB/VOC,DB =
0.003720 Ω−1 cm−2) and FOMTCE uses the corresponding MP values for Eg = 2.387 eV (JMP,DB/VMP,DB = 0.003882 Ω−1 cm−2).
harvesting AM1.5G sunlight. Although it is named “exact” and more of an effect than where series resistance is lumped or
uses a detailed balance, ϕAnand is still an approximation because which J/V ratio is used.
the exact distributed series resistance must be simulated.[3,10] ϕAnand uses a single nominal detailed balance band gap, whereas
Whereas the derivation of ϕAnand starts from inside the solar FOMTCE can readily use experimental JMP and VMP values. For
cell and FOMTCE starts from outside, they end with similar instance, a reference solar cell with maximum power current den-
functions: the reciprocal of the limiting value of ϕAnand,approx sity JMP,ref and a TCE with transmittance TTCE,ref(λ) can be used to
(4Rsh,TCE ⋅ L2 ⋅ JSC,DB ⋅ FFDB ⋅ 3−1 ⋅VOC,DB
−1
) closely resembles the predict the current density that same reference cell would have if it
dimensionless series resistance[9] that appears in FOMTCE were fabricated with a new TCE of transmittance TTCE(λ)
(Rsh,TCE ⋅ L2 ⋅ J MP ⋅ 3−1 ⋅VMP
−1
).
λgap
The sensitivity of ϕAnand and FOMTCE to changes in TTCE,avg
and Rsh,TCE is shown in Figure 4. A 1% change to TTCE,avg and a J MP,TCE = J MP,ref + q ⋅ ∫ AM1.5G ( λ ) ⋅ (T ( λ ) − T
0
TCE TCE,ref ( λ )) ⋅ dλ (13a)
25% change to Rsh,TCE both shift merit by ≈1%, while switching
where series resistance is lumped (from ϕAnand to FOMTCE) If the internal quantum efficiency of the reference cell is
only shifts merit by 0.4%. Figure 4 also shows that evaluating known (QEint,ref ), then a more accurate form of Equation (13a) is
FOMTCE at JSC/VOC instead of the less commonly available
JMP/VMP only shifts merit by 0.3%. Therefore, when analyzing ∞
Figure 4. Sensitivity analysis considering how TTCE,avg ± 1% and Rsh,TCE ± 25% change ϕAnand, FOMTCE evaluated at JMP/VMP, and FOMTCE evaluated at
JSC/VOC. Calculations use L = 0.5 cm, TTCE,avg = 0.9, Rsh,TCE = 10 Ω sq−1, a band gap of 1100 nm for ϕAnand, JSC,DB = 43.52 mA cm−2, VOC,DB = 883.2 mV,
JMP,DB = 42.15 mA cm−2, and VMP,DB = 793.9 mV for FOMTCE.
Adv. Energy Mater. 2022, 12, 2103119 2103119 (3 of 6) © Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA
16146840, 2022, 23, Downloaded from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aenm.202103119 by Cochrane Portugal, Wiley Online Library on [07/04/2024]. See the Terms and Conditions (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/terms-and-conditions) on Wiley Online Library for rules of use; OA articles are governed by the applicable Creative Commons License
www.advancedsciencenews.com www.advenergymat.de
J MP ⋅ TTCE,avg ⋅ L
J MP,TCE,mono = J MP ⋅ TTCE,avg ⋅ Tmono = (14)
L+d
TTCE,avg ⋅ L Rsh,TCE ⋅ L2 ⋅ J MP
FOM TCE,mono = 1− (15)
L+d 3 ⋅VMP
Table 1. Comparison of TCE merit for TCEs with transmittance spectra and sheet resistance values from the literature.[1]
Adv. Energy Mater. 2022, 12, 2103119 2103119 (4 of 6) © Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA
16146840, 2022, 23, Downloaded from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aenm.202103119 by Cochrane Portugal, Wiley Online Library on [07/04/2024]. See the Terms and Conditions (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/terms-and-conditions) on Wiley Online Library for rules of use; OA articles are governed by the applicable Creative Commons License
www.advancedsciencenews.com www.advenergymat.de
R TCE,grid = = (16)
12 ⋅ A 12 ⋅ A ⋅ (1 − Tgrid )
2
JMP ⋅ TTCE,avg ⋅ L ⋅ s
J MP,TCE,mono,grid = J MP ⋅ TTCE,avg ⋅ Tmono ⋅ Tgrid = (18)
(L + d ) ⋅ ( s + w )
Figure 3 shows FOMTCE,mono,grid as a function of L. At a given FOMTCE,grid is shown in Figure 5. In practice, Rsh,TCE can
JMP, VMP, d, ρmetal, w, and hmetal, FOMTCE,mono,grid can be numeri- affect band bending and lateral conduction within silicon het-
cally optimized with respect to L and Tgrid (or s) to arrive at erojunction solar cells’ p–n junctions,[16] leading to series resist-
FOMTCE,mono,grid,opt (Table 1). Adding a low temperature (220 °C) ance that is nonlinear in Rsh,TCE and requires simulation.[17]
screen-printed grating with ρmetal of 10−5 Ω cm, w of 56 µm, and There is no single ideal situation for which TCE merit
hmetal of 13 µm[15] shifts TCE merit to Rsh,TCE that are more than should be calculated: Anand et al. discussed absorber band
an order of magnitude higher (FOMTCE versus FOMTCE,mono,grid gap and cell length, both of which change the x-intercept of
in Figure 5). FOMTCE in Figure 6. Perhaps for brevity, Anand et al. did not
Figure 5 demonstrates that an indium tin oxide (ITO)-like TCE discuss module architecture, which changes the x-intercept by
(TTCE,avg = 0.9; Rsh,TCE = 10 Ω sq−1) applied to an 1100 nm band even more and also changes the y-intercept (FOMTCE,grid,opt,
gap absorber performs better the shorter the cell length for ϕAnand FOMTCE,mono,grid,opt, and FOMTCE,mono,opt in Figure 6).
and FOMTCE. When integrated with monoliths (d = 250 µm),
such a TCE has an optimal cell length of 0.4 cm and current den-
sity is reduced by a factor of Tmono = 0.941. When integrated with 3. Conclusions
monoliths and a screen-printed metal grid, such a TCE optimally
conducts over 0.15 cm (fingers spaced 0.3 cm apart), has a cell Anand et al. introduce an implicit equation for merit of trans-
length of 1.2 cm, and current density reduced by factors of Tmono = parent conductive electrodes (TCEs) in photovoltaics (PV) by
0.979 and Tgrid = 0.982 (Tmono⋅Tgrid = 0.961). These examples show lumping series resistance in with the diode. Previous work
how module architecture builds in optical losses and specifies the lumped series resistance external to the diode to derive an
optimal distance over which the TCE conducts current, both of explicit equation for merit. Since both approaches are good
which have pronounced effects on TCE merit. approximations for literature data, the explicit figure of merit
For applying TCEs to silicon heterojunctions, low-temper- is preferred. Although not discussed by Anand et al., module
ature screen-printed metal grids are used without monolith architecture deserves consideration because it changes the
deadspace, leading to a simpler version of Equation (20) FOM function. For example, monolith deadspace changes cell
length dependence, and metal grids impart more merit to TCEs
FOM TCE,grid = TTCE,avg ⋅ Tgrid ⋅ with high sheet resistance.
R J
sh,TCE ⋅ Tgrid ⋅ w ρ metal ⋅ L2
2 2
1−
MP
2 + ⋅
12 ⋅ (1 − Tgrid ) 3 ⋅ hmetal ⋅ (1 − Tgrid ) VMP (21) Acknowledgements
This work was authored by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
TTCE,avg ⋅ s Rsh,TCE ⋅ s 2 ρ metal ⋅ L2 ⋅ ( s + w ) J MP
= ⋅ 1− + ⋅ operated by Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC, for the U.S. Department
( s + w ) 12 3 ⋅ hmetal ⋅ w VMP of Energy (DOE) under Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO308. Funding was
Adv. Energy Mater. 2022, 12, 2103119 2103119 (5 of 6) © Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA
16146840, 2022, 23, Downloaded from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aenm.202103119 by Cochrane Portugal, Wiley Online Library on [07/04/2024]. See the Terms and Conditions (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/terms-and-conditions) on Wiley Online Library for rules of use; OA articles are governed by the applicable Creative Commons License
www.advancedsciencenews.com www.advenergymat.de
provided by U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency [5] D. A. Jacobs, K. R. Catchpole, F. J. Beck, T. P. White, J. Mater. Chem.
and Renewable Energy (EERE) Solar Energy Technologies Office A 2016, 4, 4490.
Award Numbers 33665 and 34352, as well as the Office of Technology [6] C. P. Muzzillo, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 2017, 169, 68.
Transitions (OTT) Award Number 37248. The views expressed in [7] M. W. Rowell, M. D. McGehee, Energy Environ. Sci. 2011, 4, 131.
the article do not necessarily represent the views of the DOE or the [8] A. Mette, Dissertation, Verlag Dr. Hut 2007, 241.
U.S. Government. The U.S. Government retains and the publisher, [9] M. A. Green, Solid-State Electron. 1981, 24, 788.
by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the U.S. [10] a) G. L. Araujo, A. Cuevas, J. M. Ruiz, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices
Government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide 1986, 33, 391; b) A. Cuevas, S. López-Romero, Sol. Cells 1984, 11, 163;
license to publish or reproduce the published form of this work, or allow
c) A. de Vos, Sol. Cells 1984, 12, 311; d) A. De Vos, P. De Visschere,
others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes.
Sol. Cells 1983, 10, 69; e) M. W. Denhoff, N. Drolet, Sol. Energy Mater.
Sol. Cells 2009, 93, 1499; f) I. L. Eisgruber, J. R. Sites, presented
at First World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion (Eds:
Conflict of Interest P. D. Moskowitz, H. Steinberger, W. Thumm) 5–9 December 1994;
g) A. W. Haas, J. R. Wilcox, J. L. Gray, R. J. Schwartz, presented
The author declares no conflict of interest. at 34th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 7–12 June 2009;
h) A. W. Haas, J. R. Wilcox, J. L. Gray, R. J. Schwartz, presented at 35th
IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 20–25 June 2010; i) K.-S. Lee,
Data Availability Statement Prog. Photovoltaics 2013, 21, 195; j) L. D. Nielsen, IEEE Trans. Electron
Devices 1982, 29, 821; k) D. Pysch, A. Mette, S. W. Glunz, Sol. Energy
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the Mater. Sol. Cells 2007, 91, 1698; l) M. Seeland, H. Hoppe, Phys.
corresponding author upon reasonable request. Status Solidi A 2015, 212, 1991; m) A. Vishnoi, R. Gopal, R. Dwivedi,
S. K. Srivastava, IEE Proc. G: Circ., Devices Syst. 1993, 140, 155;
n) J.-M. Wagner, J. Carstensen, R. Adelung, Phys. Status Solidi A 2020,
Keywords 217, 1900612; o) J.-M. Wagner, S. Rißland, A. Schütt, J. Carstensen,
R. Adelung, Energy Procedia 2017, 124, 197; p) J.-M. Wagner,
figure of merit, photovoltaics, transparent conductive electrodes A. Schütt, J. Carstensen, R. Adelung, Energy Procedia 2016, 92, 255;
q) A. Luque, J. M. Ruiz, A. Cuevas, J. Eguren, M. G. Agost, presented
Received: October 7, 2021 at Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, Luxembourg, September 1977.
Revised: December 21, 2021 [11] C. P. Muzzillo, M. O. Reese, L. M. Mansfield, ACS Appl. Mater.
Published online: May 3, 2022 Interfaces 2020, 12, 25895.
[12] V. Bermudez, A. Perez-Rodriguez, Nat. Energy 2018, 3, 466.
[13] M. Burgelman, A. Niemegeers, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 1998, 51,
129.
[1] A. Anand, M. M. Islam, R. Meitzner, U. S. Schubert, H. Hoppe, Adv. [14] K. D. M. Rao, C. Hunger, R. Gupta, G. U. Kulkarni, M. Thelakkat,
Energy Mater. 2021, 11, 2100875. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2014, 16, 15107.
[2] a) N. C. Wyeth, Solid-State Electron. 1977, 20, 629; b) M. A. Green, [15] D. Erath, M. Pospischil, R. Keding, M. Jahn, I. Lacmago Lontchi,
Solar Cells: Operating Principles, Technology, and System Applications, A. Lorenz, F. Clement, Energy Procedia 2017, 124, 869.
Prentice-Hall, Inc., New York 1982. [16] M. Bivour, S. Schröer, M. Hermle, S. W. Glunz, Sol. Energy Mater.
[3] G. T. Koishiyev, J. R. Sites, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 2009, 93, 350. Sol. Cells 2014, 122, 120.
[4] T. M. Barnes, M. O. Reese, J. D. Bergeson, B. A. Larsen, [17] A. Cruz, E.-C. Wang, A. B. Morales-Vilches, D. Meza, S. Neubert,
J. L. Blackburn, M. C. Beard, J. Bult, J. van de Lagemaat, Adv. Energy B. Szyszka, R. Schlatmann, B. Stannowski, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol.
Mater. 2012, 2, 353. Cells 2019, 195, 339.
Adv. Energy Mater. 2022, 12, 2103119 2103119 (6 of 6) © Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA