Solar-to-hydrogen efficiency: shining light on photoelectrochemical device performance

Illumination characteristics from artificial sources strongly influence the experimental performance of solar water-splitting devices, with the highest impact on tandem structures designed for optimum conversion efficiency. We highlight quantitative and qualitative flaws of common characterization techniques, discuss their impact on research results and strategy, and demonstrate approaches toward advanced measurement accuracy.

[1]  James R. Bolton,et al.  Limiting and realizable efficiencies of solar photolysis of water , 1985, Nature.

[2]  Matthew R. Shaner,et al.  Amorphous TiO2 coatings stabilize Si, GaAs, and GaP photoanodes for efficient water oxidation , 2014, Science.

[3]  A. Nozik,et al.  Solar conversion efficiency of photovoltaic and photoelectrolysis cells with carrier multiplication absorbers , 2006 .

[4]  A. Fujishima,et al.  Electrochemical Photolysis of Water at a Semiconductor Electrode , 1972, Nature.

[5]  D. Nocera,et al.  Wireless Solar Water Splitting Using Silicon-Based Semiconductors and Earth-Abundant Catalysts , 2011, Science.

[6]  G. N. Baum,et al.  Technical and economic feasibility of centralized facilities for solar hydrogen production via photocatalysis and photoelectrochemistry , 2013 .

[7]  Turner,et al.  A monolithic photovoltaic-photoelectrochemical device for hydrogen production via water splitting , 1998, Science.

[8]  Thomas F. Jaramillo,et al.  Accelerating materials development for photoelectrochemical hydrogen production: Standards for methods, definitions, and reporting protocols , 2010 .

[9]  T. Cannon Spectral solar irradiance instrumentation and measurement techniques , 1986 .

[10]  C. Osterwald TRANSLATION OF DEVICE PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS TO REFERENCE CONDITIONS , 1986 .

[11]  Todd G. Deutsch,et al.  Sunlight absorption in water – efficiency and design implications for photoelectrochemical devices , 2014 .

[12]  John F. Geisz,et al.  Non-linear luminescent coupling in series-connected multijunction solar cells , 2012 .

[13]  Miro Zeman,et al.  Efficient solar water splitting by enhanced charge separation in a bismuth vanadate-silicon tandem photoelectrode , 2013, Nature Communications.

[14]  Sarah R. Kurtz,et al.  Modeling of two‐junction, series‐connected tandem solar cells using top‐cell thickness as an adjustable parameter , 1990 .

[15]  Sarah R. Kurtz,et al.  29.5%‐efficient GaInP/GaAs tandem solar cells , 1994 .