Geometrical and physical optimization of a photovoltaic cell by means of a genetic algorithm

  • Authors:

  • Giuseppe Alì;Francesco Butera;Nella Rotundo

  • Affiliations:

  • Department of Physics, University of Calabria, Cosenza, Italy 87036 and INFN, Gruppo Collegato di Cosenza, Cosenza, Italy 87036;Department of Physics, University of Calabria, Cosenza, Italy 87036;Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McGill University, Canada, Italy

  • Venue:
  • Journal of Computational Electronics
  • Year:
  • 2014

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Abstract

A methodology for the geometrical and physical optimization of a photovoltaic cell is proposed, which makes use of a detailed distributed model for the device simulation and a genetic algorithm. For the numerical simulation of the device, a TCAD simulator is used, appropriately interfaced with the genetic algorithm. Since the parameters to be optimized are geometrical, each simulation requires a different mesh grid, which is automatically set within the genetic algorithm optimization cycle. The evaluation of the fitness function requires the post-processing of the output of the device simulation, which is performed by another external software, also interfaced with the genetic algorithm. The feasibility of this methodology is assessed on a homogeneous emitter solar cell, with some relevant free parameters, related to the number of fingers in a cell and to the doping profile of the emitter. The parameters which maximize the efficiency of the cell are determined by using the proposed procedure.