Efficiency enhancement of silicon-based solar cells by solar energy harvesting in WS2 nano-flake/perovskite layer

Advancements in solar energy harvesting technologies call for innovative approaches to meet the ever-growing energy demand. Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites and transition metal dichalcogenides are promising materials for solar cells and other optoelectronic devices and specially for luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). The efficiency of silicon-based solar cells can be significantly improved by incorporating a layer of optically active centers. These active centers convert a part of the absorbing solar radiation into a specific emitting wavelength to increase the short wavelength response of photovoltaic (PV) modules. In this study, we investigate the possibility of using a WS 2 /perovskite layer as an active layer in LSCs to enhance the performance of silicon-based solar cells. It was found that CH 3 NH 3 PbCl 3 /WS 2 structure, with 1.5 wt% concentration in Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), leads to the highest efficiency with the least loss mechanisms in the LSC. The efficiency of the coated Si PV cell is increased by about 50%, compared to an uncoated cell.