Characterization of quantum well photovoltaiccells using developments in free software

Abstract

The characterization of photovoltaic cells is a topic of interest, with the aim of verifying and improving their efficiency, as well as maximizing the generation of electrical energy, considering that this alternative source depends on certain geographical factors such as solar irradiation and temperature. In this article, the authors present the description of the development of systems based on free software and open standards, which allow for the estimation, with an accuracy of around 99.99%, of the performance of quantum well photovoltaic cells, which are nanometricsemiconductor structures that confine electrons in two dimensions, thus improving the efficiency of photovoltaic conversion compared to conventional cells. Additionally, using the Scilab platform, the quantum efficiency of these photovoltaic cells can be evaluated, based on the physical model and the associated
equations. The results obtained with free software are compared with those obtained with commercial software tools. With the developments shown, it is possible to characterize the performance and quantum efficiency of a photovoltaic cell based on quantum well technology for different temperature and solar irradiance conditions, in real-time knowing the geographical conditions of the environment.