061cdce9   
   XPost: sci.physics, sci.electronics.design, sci.chem   
   From: r_delaney2001@yahoo.com   
      
   On Apr 30,  benj  wrote:   
   > >>I recently attendesd a seminar on photovoltaic research.  The   
   > >>speaker showed a graph, how the power efficiency drops   
   > >>as the recombination time of the minority carriers decreases.   
   > >>Can anyone expound on this?   
   >   
   > > If the electron recombines before it reaches the external   
   > > connection that the energy that it had is just thermalised as heat.   
   >   
   > >>And, the quantum efficiency drops, as well.  What does that   
   > >>mean?   
   >   
   > So what is "quantum efficiency"? It's simply the ratio of photons   
   > in to electrons out the wires. So if a photon comes in creates an   
   > electron-hole pair but they recombine before being collected   
   > for the output. Then that photon has no output. Hence QE is lower.   
      
   How is that different than power conversion efficiency?   
      
   --   
   Rich   
      
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