Integration of solar cell with TN-LC cell for enhancing power characteristics

Chin Yu Chen, Yu-Lung Lo

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

This study improves the output power and brightness characteristics of a translucent hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cell by integrating the solar cell with a novel twist nematic (TN) liquid crystal (LC) cell incorporating a sub-wavelength metal grating (SWMG) polarization beam splitter (PBS). In this study, a SWMG-PBS is used to replace not only the sheet polarizers in the conventional TN-LC cell, but also the upper and lower alignment layers and transparent electrodes. Therefore, a translucent a-Si:H solar cell integrating with the novel TN-LC cell with the SWMG-PBS could improve power efficiency and durability in UV ray environment. The experimental results show that the transmittance gap between the "on" and "off' states of the enhanced translucent a-Si:H solar cell / novel TN-LC cell is of the order of 26.6% on 800 nm, 6.3% on 400 nm and 2.7% on 510 nm. Moreover, it is shown that the novel TN-LC cell increases the maximum electrical power developed by the translucent a-Si:H solar cell and improves its power conversion efficiency by 0.209% in the "off' state and 0.417% in the "on" state. In other words, the gain factors, the power efficiency of the novel TN-LC cell with translucent a-Si:H solar cell divided by the power efficiency of the standalone translucent solar cell, are determined to be 1.101 (or 110.1 %) in the "off' state and 1.201 (or 120.1 %) in the "on" state. As a result, the proposed device represents an ideal solution for building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems, automobile industry applications, and many other adjustable brightness photovoltaic applications.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSociety for Experimental Mechanics - SEM Annual Conference and Exposition on Experimental and Applied Mechanics 2010
Pages415-420
Number of pages6
Publication statusPublished - 2010 Nov 9
EventSEM Annual Conference and Exposition on Experimental and Applied Mechanics 2010 - Indianapolis, IN, United States
Duration: 2010 Jun 72010 Jun 10

Publication series

NameSociety for Experimental Mechanics - SEM Annual Conference and Exposition on Experimental and Applied Mechanics 2010
Volume1

Other

OtherSEM Annual Conference and Exposition on Experimental and Applied Mechanics 2010
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityIndianapolis, IN
Period10-06-0710-06-10

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Mechanics of Materials

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