In Situ Generating YVO<sub>4</sub>:Eu<sup>3+</sup>,Bi<sup>3+</sup> Downshifting Phosphors in SiO<sub>2</sub> Antireflection Coating for Efficiency Enhancement and Ultraviolet Stability of Silicon Solar Cells
Siwei Gu, Zheng Lu, Shuai Zou, Chengkun Wu, Chen‐Wei Peng, Mengfei Ni, Zhenzhen Chen, Hao Huang, Hua Sun, Haibo Wang, Xiaohong Zhang, Xiaodong Su
Abstract
Herein, a solid strategy to prepare bifunctional SiO 2 coatings (BSCs) with both antireflection and luminescence downshifting properties by in situ generating YVO 4 :Eu 3+ ,Bi 3+ phosphors in SiO 2 antireflection coatings (ARCs) is reported. Namely, a self‐prepared precursor solution of the downshifting phosphors is added to a mixture of commercial SiO 2 sol solution and ethanol to uniformly coat the surface of quartz glass; therefore, a novel composite porous SiO 2 coating containing in situ generated YVO 4 :Eu 3+ ,Bi 3+ phosphors (labeled SiO 2 @YVO 4 :Eu 3+ ,Bi 3+ coating) is formed on the glass surface after annealing. The SiO 2 @YVO 4 :Eu 3+ ,Bi 3+ BSCs can effectively convert ultraviolet (UV) region photons to visible photons that are well absorbed by silicon solar cells and have better transmittance than pure SiO 2 ARC. As proof‐of‐concept applications, the as‐prepared optimal SiO 2 @YVO 4 :Eu 3+ ,Bi 3+ coating can effectively improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of tunnel oxide passivated contact solar cells by 0.18%abs and decrease the UV‐induced degradation value of the PCE of silicon heterojunction solar cells by 0.62%abs compared to the pure SiO 2 ARC. The results demonstrate that in situ generating luminescence downshifting phosphors in the SiO 2 ARC of photovoltaic glass is a promising way to improve the PCE and UV stability of silicon solar cells.