Detailed Balance Limit of Efficiency of p‐n Junction Solar Cells

@article{Shockley1961DetailedBL,
  title={Detailed Balance Limit of Efficiency of p‐n Junction Solar Cells},
  author={William Shockley and Hans J. Queisser},
  journal={Journal of Applied Physics},
  year={1961},
  volume={32},
  pages={510-519}
}
In order to find an upper theoretical limit for the efficiency of p‐n junction solar energy converters, a limiting efficiency, called the detailed balance limit of efficiency, has been calculated for an ideal case in which the only recombination mechanism of hole‐electron pairs is radiative as required by the principle of detailed balance. The efficiency is also calculated for the case in which radiative recombination is only a fixed fraction fc of the total recombination, the rest being… 
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