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First Monolithic Tandem Photovoltaic-Powered Electrochromic Smart Window

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

W. Gao ,
S.H. Lee ,
Y. Xu ,
S. Morrison ,
D.K. Benson  and
H.M. Branz
W. Gao
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd. Golden, CO 80401, USA
S.H. Lee
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd. Golden, CO 80401, USA
Y. Xu
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd. Golden, CO 80401, USA
S. Morrison
Affiliation:
MVSystems, Inc. Golden, CO 80401, USA
D.K. Benson
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd. Golden, CO 80401, USA
H.M. Branz
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd. Golden, CO 80401, USA
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Abstract

We report on the first monolithic, amorphous-silicon-based, photovoltaic-powered electrochromic window coating. The coating employs a wide bandgap a-Sil-xCx:H n-i-p photovoltaic (PV) cell as a semitransparent power supply, and a LiyWO3/LiAlF4/V205 electrochromic (EC) device as an optical-transmittance modulator. The EC device is deposited directly on top of a PV device that coats a glass substrate.

The a-Sil-xCx:H PV cell has a Tauc gap of 2.2 eV and a transmittance of 60 to 80% over a large portion of the visible light spectrum. We reduced the thickness of the device to about 600 Å while maintaining a 1-sun open-circuit voltage of 0.9 V and short-circuit current of 2 mA/cm2.

Our prototype 16 cm2 PV/EC device modulates the transmittance by more than 60% over a large portion of the visible spectrum. The coloring and bleaching times of the electrochromic device are approximately 1 minute under normal operating conditions (±1 volt).

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 507: Symposium A – Amorphous & Microcrystalline Silicon Technology 1998 , 1998 , 345
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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References

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