Enhancing efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells by the mixture of downshifting CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ and Y2O3:Eu3+ phosphors

Y2O3:Eu3+ (YO) phosphors which have high quantum yield in the range 200–280 nm are mixed with downshifting CaAlSiN3:Eu2+ (CASN) phosphors to improve CASN’s low quantum yield in the wavelength range below 280 nm. The luminescence downshifting ethyl vinyl acetate films with the mixture of YO and CASN phosphors are fabricated and then used to package crystalline silicon solar cells. Experimental results show that the introduction of YO phosphors not only improves the external quantum efficiency of the solar cells in the range below 280 nm but also leads to the better absorption of the light in the range 280–500 nm due to the scattering by YO phosphors. The conversion efficiency of the solar cells with the mixed phosphors can be enhanced from 19.60 to 19.98% after packaging.