Luminescent borate glass for efficiency enhancement of CdTe solar cells

Rare-earth (RE) doped borate glasses are investigated for their potential as photon down-shifting cover glass for CdTe solar cells. The barium borate base glass is doped with trivalent rare-earth ions such as Sm³⁺, Eu³⁺, and Tb³⁺ showing an intense luminescence in the red (Sm³⁺, Eu³⁺) and green (Tb³⁺) spectral range upon excitation in the ultraviolet and blue. Additionally, the glasses are double-doped with two RE ions for a broad-band absorption. The gain in short-circuit current density of CdTe solar cells with different thicknesses of the CdS buffer layer is calculated. Though the single-doped glasses already reveal a slight increase in short-circuit current density, the double-doped glasses allow for higher efficiency gains since a significant broader spectral range is covered for absorption. For a Tb³⁺/Eu³⁺ double-doped glass with a RE doping level of 1 at% each, an efficiency increase of 1.32% can be achieved. - Highlights: • Rare-earth doped front glass for high efficiency CdTe solar cells were prepared. • Double-doping allows for higher efficiency gains than single-doping. • Efficiency enhancement of 1.32% can be achieved with Tb³⁺/Eu³⁺ doped front glass