Rsoft Solar Cell Utility

Solar Cell Utility

The Solar Cell Utility* provides an optical and electronic simulation solution for solar cell devices. The utility simplifies common tasks associated with solar cell design and aids in the rigorous computation of J-V curves, quantum efficiency spectra, and overall cell efficiency. The basic version of the Solar Cell Utility uses a simple electronic model and operates with one or more RSoft optical simulation tools**. If a rigorous electronic modeling solution is desired, LaserMOD can be used. The Solar Cell Utility LaserMOD option provides a limited license of LaserMOD for this purpose.

• Arbitrary solar cell geometry can easily be created in the RSoft CAD
• Important material properties such as frequency-dependent complex refractive indexes can be used to correctly model absorptive materials
• Simple electronic modeling via modified Ideal Diode equation; rigorous modeling via LaserMOD tool
• Uses the AM1.5 Solar Spectrum as incident spectrum by default; a user-specified spectrum can also be used
• Direct user control over shadowing, filling-factor, and collection efficiency
• Accounting of parasitic resistances in both simple and rigorous electronic models
• Outputs include cell efficiency, J-V curves, and quantum efficiency spectra in addition to the standard output from the simulation tool(s) used (DiffractMOD, FullWAVE, and/or LaserMOD)
• Automated parametric studies and design optimization using MOST (page 24)