Solar cell as a heat engine: energy-entropy analysis of photovoltaic conversion
Solar cell as a heat engine: energy-entropy analysis of photovoltaic conversion
A thermodynamic theory for the voltage or free energy generated
by a quantum solar energy converter which has recently
been proposed, is developed here in a more direct and
simpler way. We consider separately the luminescence and
conversion of a single photon of the incident radiation. The
energy/entropy balance for the conversion process yields an
expression for the voltage in a form familiar from the classical
thermodynamics of the work carried out by the heat engine.
A similar balance for the absorption and emission of light gives an expression for the irreversible entropy generation which reduces the open circuit voltage generated by the solar cell. Detailed expressions for losses due to individual mechanisms, including non-radiative recombination, are obtained with the use of an approximation where photons in the incident and emitted beams are modelled as an ideal two-dimensional gas.
05.70.Ln, 33.50.Dq, 42.79.Ek, 84.69.Jt
2752-2756
Markvart, Tom
f21e82ec-4e3b-4485-9f27-ffc0102fdf1c
December 2008
Markvart, Tom
f21e82ec-4e3b-4485-9f27-ffc0102fdf1c
Markvart, Tom
(2008)
Solar cell as a heat engine: energy-entropy analysis of photovoltaic conversion.
Physica Status Solidi A-Applied Research, 205 (12), .
(doi:10.1002/pssa.200880460).
Abstract
A thermodynamic theory for the voltage or free energy generated
by a quantum solar energy converter which has recently
been proposed, is developed here in a more direct and
simpler way. We consider separately the luminescence and
conversion of a single photon of the incident radiation. The
energy/entropy balance for the conversion process yields an
expression for the voltage in a form familiar from the classical
thermodynamics of the work carried out by the heat engine.
A similar balance for the absorption and emission of light gives an expression for the irreversible entropy generation which reduces the open circuit voltage generated by the solar cell. Detailed expressions for losses due to individual mechanisms, including non-radiative recombination, are obtained with the use of an approximation where photons in the incident and emitted beams are modelled as an ideal two-dimensional gas.
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
Published date: December 2008
Keywords:
05.70.Ln, 33.50.Dq, 42.79.Ek, 84.69.Jt
Organisations:
Engineering Mats & Surface Engineerg Gp
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 65871
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/65871
ISSN: 0031-8965
PURE UUID: 94c3dbe6-b662-4fdb-9e2c-3a3d85f78f4b
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 23 Mar 2009
Last modified: 13 Mar 2024 17:59
Export record
Altmetrics
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics