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Solar cell as a heat engine: energy-entropy analysis of photovoltaic conversion

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
0031-8965
2752-2756
Markvart, Tom
f21e82ec-4e3b-4485-9f27-ffc0102fdf1c
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), 2752-2756. (doi:10.1002/pssa.200880460).

Record type: Article

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.

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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

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