How to do loss analysis for a solar cell?

Tharakeswar,

You can make loss analysis by first determining the external quantum efficiency which is defined by generated short circuit photocurrent  Iph divided by  incident solar radiation say AM1. This will take into consideration the optical losses and the recombination losses of the generated electron hole pairs. 

The driving emf of the cell is smaller than energy gap which is a loss in the potential energy. The open circuit voltage which is the emf of the cell is controlled by the dark current in the cell which causes  a reduction in the open circuit voltage as it increases. It is some sort of the internal bleeding of the cell current. It increases by increasing recombination rate. The recombination rate itself is controlled by the lifetime of the minority carriers, Even if Iph is relatively high and also the open circuit voltage, unfortunately one can not operate the cell at such current and volt. The cell is operated at the maximum power point Pm which is smaller than IphXVoc. The ratio of Pm to IphXVoc.is the fill factor. It depends on the shape of I-V curve ie how fat it is square, the series resistance and the shunt resistance.

In summary the losses are:

-optical losses in reflection and absorption,

- electronic losses in recombining the generated electron hole pair

- Ohmic losses in series and shunt resistance 

For more details please see the link:https://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/.../flyer-complete-solar-cell-loss-analysis

wish you success

Do you need a spatially resolved analysis or just a global one (lumped values)?

@ Jan-Martin Wagner: Sir, can I know about both which you has specified.

I'm using PC1D for modelling of the solar cell. For this I want to know how to do the loss analysis.

I'm confused: Do you have real samples for which you do some measurements that you want to analyze by means of a PC1D modelling, or do you just want to know about theoretical loss analysis strategies for the PC1D modelling?

Dear Thraraeswar,

From your conversation with Dr. Jan- Matin it is clear that you want to calculate the  different losses in the conversion process of the incident solar radiation to electrical energy in solar cell. There are some good references on such topic. The link given below has a complete chapter for analysis of the losses in solar cells titled SOLAR CELL CONVERSION-EFFICIENCYLIMITS. http://aerostudents.com/files/solarCells/CH5SolarCellConversionEfficiencyLimits.pdf

You can follow it step by step to calculate the losses from the entrance of the solar radiation till its electrical power  is delivered to an optimum load. Ready to receive any question from you.

Let me put my confusedness another way: Do you still want to find out of what kind of loss your cell suffers (not-large-enough fill factor, too low optical absorption, too large recombination, ...), or do you know that already and want to analyze the microscopic origin of the already-identified loss mechanism(s)?

In other words: Please be more elaborate about your specific aim!