EPJ Photovoltaics (Jan 2018)

Multiscale in modelling and validation for solar photovoltaics

  • Abu Hamed Tareq,
  • Adamovic Nadja,
  • Aeberhard Urs,
  • Alonso-Alvarez Diego,
  • Amin-Akhlaghi Zoe,
  • Auf der Maur Matthias,
  • Beattie Neil,
  • Bednar Nikola,
  • Berland Kristian,
  • Birner Stefan,
  • Califano Marco,
  • Capan Ivana,
  • Cerne Bostjan,
  • Chilibon Irinela,
  • Connolly James. P.,
  • Cortes Juan Frederic,
  • Coutinho Jose,
  • David Christin,
  • Deppert Knut,
  • Donchev Vesselin,
  • Drev Marija,
  • Ehlen Boukje,
  • Ekins-Daukes Nicholas,
  • Even Jacky,
  • Fara Laurentiu,
  • Fuertes Marron David,
  • Gagliardi Alessio,
  • Garrido Blas,
  • Gianneta Violetta,
  • Gomes Maria,
  • Guillemoles Jean-Francois,
  • Guina Mircea,
  • Halme Janne,
  • Hocevar Mateja,
  • Jacak Lucjan,
  • Jacak Witold,
  • Jaksic Zoran,
  • Joseph Lejo k.,
  • Kassavetis Spyridon,
  • Kazukauskas Vaidotas,
  • Kleider Jean-Paul,
  • Kluczyk Katarzyna,
  • Kopecek Radovan,
  • Krasovec Ursa Opara,
  • Lazzari Jean-Louis,
  • Lifshitz Efrat,
  • Loncaric Martin,
  • Madsen Søren Peder,
  • Vega Antonio Marti,
  • Mencaraglia Denis,
  • Messing Maria E.,
  • Armando Felipe Murphy,
  • Nassiopoulou Androula G.,
  • Neijm Ahmed,
  • Nemcsics Akos,
  • Neto Victor,
  • Pedesseau Laurent,
  • Persson Clas,
  • Petridis Konstantinos,
  • Popescu Lacramioara,
  • Pucker Georg,
  • Radovanović Jelena,
  • Rimada Julio C.,
  • Ristova Mimoza,
  • Savic Ivana,
  • Savin Hele,
  • Sendova-Vassileva Marushka,
  • Sengul Abdurrahman,
  • Silva José,
  • Steiner Ullrich,
  • Storch Jan,
  • Stratakis Emmanuel,
  • Tao Shuxia,
  • Tomanek Pavel,
  • Tomić Stanko,
  • Tukiainen Antti,
  • Turan Rasit,
  • Ulloa Jose Maria,
  • Wang Shengda,
  • Yuksel Fatma,
  • Zadny Jaroslav,
  • Zarbakhsh Javad

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjpv/2018008
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9
p. 10

Abstract

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Photovoltaics is amongst the most important technologies for renewable energy sources, and plays a key role in the development of a society with a smaller environmental footprint. Key parameters for solar cells are their energy conversion efficiency, their operating lifetime, and the cost of the energy obtained from a photovoltaic system compared to other sources. The optimization of these aspects involves the exploitation of new materials and development of novel solar cell concepts and designs. Both theoretical modeling and characterization of such devices require a comprehensive view including all scales from the atomic to the macroscopic and industrial scale. The different length scales of the electronic and optical degrees of freedoms specifically lead to an intrinsic need for multiscale simulation, which is accentuated in many advanced photovoltaics concepts including nanostructured regions. Therefore, multiscale modeling has found particular interest in the photovoltaics community, as a tool to advance the field beyond its current limits. In this article, we review the field of multiscale techniques applied to photovoltaics, and we discuss opportunities and remaining challenges.

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