Solar Junction World Record Efficiency
Solar cell efficiency
1. Solar Cell Junction:
A p-n junction is where p-type and n-type semiconductor materials meet.
This junction is responsible for separating charge carriers (electrons and holes) generated by light, allowing current to flow.
2. Junction Efficiency:
Specifically, junction efficiency refers to how effectively the p-n junction:
Absorbs photons
Generates electron-hole pairs
Separates and collects those carriers before they recombine
It is one of several factors that determine the total efficiency of a solar cell, along with:
Optical efficiency (how much light is absorbed)
Quantum efficiency (how many absorbed photons generate charge carriers)
Fill factor
Voltage and current losses
In Multi-Junction Solar Cells:
For multi-junction solar cells, which layer multiple p-n junctions of different semiconductor materials:
Each junction is tuned to absorb a specific part of the solar spectrum.
Junction efficiency for each layer determines how much of its spectral band is converted to electricity.
The total efficiency is limited by the least efficient junction in the stack (since they are typically in series).
Junction efficiency in solar energy refers to how effectively the p-n junction(s) in a solar cell convert absorbed light into electrical current. In practice, it’s a subset of total solar cell efficiency, critical in both single-junction and especially in multi-junction (tandem) solar cells.
