Analysis of CdTe photovoltaic cells for ambient light energy harvesting
- 20 May 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by IOP Publishing in Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics
- Vol. 53 (40), 405501
- https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/ab94e6
Abstract
This paper investigates the suitability of CdTe photovoltaic cells to be used as power sources for wireless sensors located in buildings. We fabricate and test a CdTe photovoltaic cell with a transparent conducting oxide front contact that provides for high photocurrents and low series resistance at low light intensities - and measure the photovoltaic response of this cell across five orders of magnitude of AM1.5G light intensity. Efficiencies of 10% and 17.1% are measured under ~1 W/m2 AM1.5G and LED irradiance respectively, the highest values for a CdTe device under ambient lighting measured to date. We use our results to assess the potential of CdTe for internet of things devices from an optoelectronic, as well as a techno-economic perspective, considering its established manufacturing know-how, potential for low-cost, proven long-term stability and issues around the use of cadmium.Funding Information
- DOE-NSF ERF (QESST)
- Singapore MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (LEES)
- NSF (1540007)
- DOE (EE0008177)
- H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (746156)
- GS1 (GS1-MIT AutoID)
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