Voltage Matching and Optimal Cell Compositions for Microsystem-Enabled Photovoltaic Modules

In this paper, we calculate optimal cell compositions and voltage-matching considerations for independently connected junctions, such as those proposed for microsystem-enabled photovoltaic modules. The calculations show that designs using voltage-matched independent junctions can achieve better yearly efficiency across temperature and spectrum than traditional monolithic cells. Voltage matching is shown to be relatively insensitive to temperature and spectrum but is dependent on open-circuit voltage as a measure of cell efficiency. If the efficiencies and, hence, maximum power point voltages are known a priori, voltage matching can usually yield yearly efficiencies of 98-99% of the efficiency of a system with each cell operating at its own maximum power point.