A figure-of-merit-based framework to evaluate photovoltaic materials

Abstract

I propose a general quantitative framework to evaluate the quality, track the historical development, and guide future optimization of photovoltaic (PV) absorbers at any development level, including both experimentally synthesized and computer-simulated materials. The framework is based on a PV figure of merit designed to include efficiency limitations due to imperfect photocarrier collection that are not included in classic detailed balance methods. Figure-of-merit-driven efficiency limits including collection losses are calculated for 28 experimentally synthesized PV absorbers and 9 PV absorbers simulated by electronic structure methods. Among emerging absorbers for which no working solar cells have yet been reported, there are very large differences in their likelihood to achieve high PV efficiencies.