Two-Dimensional Absorbers for Solar Windows: A Simulation

Abstract

In the future, many modern buildings may rely on solar windows for energy production. Large buildings often have glass facades that have the potential to convert sunlight to electrical power. The standard photovoltaic materials used today are bulky and not transparent, making them poor candidates for solar windows. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) and other two-dimensional absorbers are a good alternative because of their unique properties and high transparency at the monolayer and few-layer regime. This work shows the potential for TMDC-based solar windows by simulating the transmission, quantum efficiency, current density, and colour appearance of different solar cell configurations. Different contacts were investigated, along with the influence of contact thickness, to demonstrate colour-neutral solar cells. In addition, four TMDC materials were compared: MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2. Colour-neutral solar cells with transparencies of 35 % to 55 % are presented, where a current density of 8.33 mA/cm2 was calculated for a solar cell with a 5-nm absorbing layer of MoSe2. While there are still challenges to overcome in terms of production, our simulations show that it is possible to use TMDCs for colour-neutral solar windows and act as a guideline for further research.