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A high throughput, linear molecular beam epitaxy system for reduced cost manufacturing of GaAs photovoltaic cells: will GaAs ever be inexpensive enough?
摘要： Solar cells based on GaAs and related compounds provide the highest reported efficiency single junction and multijunction solar cells. However, the cost of the cells is prohibitive when compared with Si and other thin film solar technologies. One significant differentiator is the high cost required to grow the epitaxial layers. Here, we propose a molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system design that has the potential to increase the epitaxial layer growth throughput, thereby significantly reducing production costs. A rack-and-pinion based linear transfer system sequentially transfers multiple substrate platens between interconnected growth positions within the chamber, thereby synchronously growing layers on many wafers in the desired order and at the required thicknesses. The proposed linear MBE platform is the basis for a realistic analysis of GaAs single junction photovoltaic cell production cost. Our model projects a nearly 55% cost reduction in epitaxial growth via linear MBE when compared to conventional MBE, and a 85% reduction when further process optimization is assumed and combined with non-destructive lift off. Even when considering all of these factors in an optimistic light, the cost of epitaxial unconcentrated GaAs solar cells using any existing growth process is unlikely to drop below $3 per Wp in the foreseeable future.
关键词： photovoltaic cells,GaAs,molecular beam epitaxy,linear MBE,cost reduction
更新于2025-09-23 15:19:57
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Multiple epitaxial lift-off of stacked GaAs solar cells for low-cost photovoltaic applications
摘要： This paper presents a multilayer peeling from a stacked cell structure as an approach for the cost reduction of III–V solar cells. We demonstrate the separation of two-layer stacked GaAs solar cells with Al(Ga)As release layers on the GaAs substrate into individual layers without cracks. The cells in each layer peeled from the stacked structure show equivalent device performances. Thermal cycling tests with repeated heating to 85 °C and cooling to ?40 °C show that the flexible GaAs thin-film cell exhibits a high durability against temperature changes. Further, a damp heat test conducted at 85 °C and 85% humidity indicates that the cell has long-term stability. These results suggest that the flexible GaAs thin-film cells fabricated by peeling from stacked structures have a high reliability and prove that the separation of the stacked cell structures into individual layers is effective in fabricating low-cost III–V solar cells.
关键词： epitaxial lift-off,cost reduction,damp heat test,photovoltaic applications,thermal cycling,GaAs solar cells
更新于2025-09-23 15:19:57
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Markov Chain Investigation of Discretization Schemes and Computational Cost Reduction in Modeling Photon Multiple Scattering
摘要： Establishing fast and reversible photon multiple scattering algorithms remains a modeling challenge for optical diagnostics and noise reduction purposes, especially when the scattering happens within the intermediate scattering regime. Previous work has proposed and verified a Markov chain approach for modeling photon multiple scattering phenomena through turbid slabs. The fidelity of the Markov chain method has been verified through detailed comparison with Monte Carlo models. However, further improvement to the Markov chain method is still required to improve its performance in studying multiple scattering. The present research discussed the efficacy of non-uniform discretization schemes and analyzed errors induced by different schemes. The current work also proposed an iterative approach as an alternative to directly carrying out matrix inversion manipulations, which would significantly reduce the computational costs. The benefits of utilizing non-uniform discretization schemes and the iterative approach were confirmed and verified by comparing the results to a Monte Carlo simulation.
关键词： computational cost reduction,markov chain approximation,discretization schemes,multiple scattering
更新于2025-09-19 17:15:36
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OLED Lighting: The Differentiation Challenge
摘要： OLED lighting trails inorganic LEDs in almost every market segment, and therefore has to play catch-up. OLED displays are likely to lose this battle in the short and medium term, given that OLED displays are both under-performing and over-priced. The endgame, however, is promising because customers will buy OLED devices if the cost and performance gap substantially narrows. Lighting companies have little choice but to hedge their bets and stay the course with OLEDs or else risk losing out in the decades to come. In the meantime, these companies need to create stepping stones that generate at least limited cash flow and allow them to accumulate production/marketing experience. In fact, substantial innovation and pressure are building up in the value chain, which will ultimately enable a cost reduction in OLED lighting.
关键词： performance gap,OLED lighting,LED lighting,design attributes,cost reduction
更新于2025-09-19 17:13:59
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Bifacial IFO/(n+pp+)Cz-Si/ITO solar cells with full-area Al-alloyed BSF and Ag-free multi-wire metallization suitable for low-concentration systems
摘要： Bifacial solar cells have received considerable attention due to the potential to achieve higher energy yield compared to monofacial cells. However, in bifacial cells, p+-Si layers are usually produced by boron diffusion, which makes such cells more expensive compared to monofacial cells with a full-area screen-printed Al-alloyed Al-p+ back-surface-field (BSF). Recently, we have demonstrated proof-of-concept that bifacial cells, which, in addition, are also suitable for application in low-concentration systems (3–6 suns), can be produced from commercially available, standard monofacial SiNx/(n+pp+)Cz-Si/Al structures with full-area Al-p+-BSF. For this purpose, the residual Al paste was removed and a number of solar cells were prepared differing in the sheet resistance of the Al-p+-BSF (Rp+), which was varied from 14 Ω/sq to 123 Ω/sq by thinning the Al-p+ layer using one-sided etch-back process. Thinning of the Al-p+-BSF significantly improved the efficiency under 1-sun front/rear-side illumination: from 16.0%/7.5% (at Rp+ = 14 Ω/sq) to 17.5%/11.2% (at Rp+ = 81 Ω/sq). The equivalent efficiency at 1-sun front illumination and 20/50% albedo of 1-sun illumination increased from 17.7%/20.1% (at Rp+ = 14 Ω/sq) to 19.9%/23.5% (at Rp+ = 81 Ω/sq). In this paper, we present the results of systematic study of the developed bifacial cells. Thinning-induced changes in the properties of the cells are analyzed in detail. The critical aspects which might explain the performance of the developed cells are addressed. In addition, bifacial cells are compared with standard monofacial cells fabricated using the precursor of the same batch.
关键词： Ultrasonic spray pyrolysis,Transparent conductive oxide,Ag-cost reduction,Bifacial concentrator silicon solar cell,Multi-wire metallization,Al-alloyed BSF
更新于2025-09-19 17:13:59
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Surveying the Solar Power Gap: Assessing the Spatial Distribution of Emerging Photovoltaic Solar Adoption in the State of Georgia, U.S.A.
摘要： Despite a global push in the development and implementation of widespread alternative energy use, significant disparities exist across given nation-states. These disparities reflect both technical and economic factors, as well as the social, political, and ecological gaps between how communities see energy development and national/global policy goals. Known as the “local-national gap”, many nations struggle with fostering meaningful conversations about the role of alternative energy technologies within communities. Mitigation of this problem first requires understanding the distribution of existing alternative energy technologies at the local level of policymaking. To address the limitation of existing adoption trend analysis at the scale of local governance (e.g., county governments), this paper demonstrates a novel method for contextualizing solar technology adoption by using the State of Georgia in the United States as an exemplar. Leveraging existing work on the Gini Coefficient as a metric for measuring energy inequity, we argue these tools can be applied to analyze where gaps exist in ongoing solar adoption trends. As we demonstrate, communities that adopt solar tend to be concentrated in a few counties, indicating existing conversations are limited to a circumscribed set of social networks. This information and the model we demonstrate can enable focused qualitative analyses of existing solar trends, not only among high-adoption areas but within communities where little to no adoption has occurred.
关键词： NIMBY,solar energy,Georgia,Gini coefficient,local-national gap,soft cost reduction,Lorenz curves,technology adoption,community development
更新于2025-09-16 10:30:52
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The Distance Monitoring Extension of Wear Detection System with Optical Fiber Detection Wire
摘要： For the updation of contact wire wear detection systems, we have devised cost reduction methods for the wear detection system with optical fiber detection wire. For the field test of Tokaido Shinkansen, the compositions of cost reduction system exhibit good performance. The methods and test results are described in this paper.
关键词： cost reduction,monitoring distance extension,optical fiber detection wire,insulator with built-in optical fiber units
更新于2025-09-11 14:15:04
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AIP Conference Proceedings [Author(s) SolarPACES 2017: International Conference on Concentrating Solar Power and Chemical Energy Systems - Santiago, Chile (26–29 September 2017)] - Deploying enclosed trough for thermal EOR at commercial scale
摘要： Solar energy, in the form of enclosed trough direct steam generation, is now being deployed at scale to supply a portion of the energy demand for thermal enhanced oil recovery in Amal, Oman. Construction of the 1,021 MW Miraah project is well along and progress in cost reduction and labor productivity are evaluated. Results from the successful Manufacturing Verification Test and the Miraah Solar Steam Generator Project are presented and discussed. The Miraah data shows substantial reductions in material usage as a result of improved designs, increases in construction speed, and reductions in labor per unit of construction with deployment of enhanced tooling.
关键词： labor productivity,enclosed trough,thermal enhanced oil recovery,cost reduction,solar energy,direct steam generation
更新于2025-09-04 15:30:14