THE
PHYSICS o
SOLAR CELLS
Jenny Nelson
snp as 1ee
ttre ss he Ba Ly.
inn os 6 7.28
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‘Chat Cen, non Ds Ber HANDS USA operon
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Preface
(Over the ttn yeas, photvltai basenergd a become an apletion
‘escola otra dhe tracted theatre of ineresing nambers
fstadens and researchers. The purpose f this book is to provide an intro
Seti to, an oer ofthe phys ofthe photovaa cll. T should
be slab for undergradane pyc and engineer wha ae intersted in
‘his aplication of seeondueor pls and to owspecialst grades
‘doers ha reqs talon the physical pine fla cla
‘he fru on the bse senicnuctor pie rlevant to phetorla,
plas mol of photorleai dven and hw thew rel tothe dein
ed faction of practical devs Ieshould cable he wader to understand
how solar cals Work, to undertand the coneps nd odes of ela all
fevce phy, und to orate asl eect pial probs, A
‘hough practical motels aa davicodegas wt wed a3 examples, che
book sat intended ae» comprohenriv review of photonic materials
sd deve, nor ofthe lat development in photovoltaics esearch
‘Chaper 1 ntzodaces the solar call as a suple cute: generator a
Aefsar the peclrmancechracaritir whith neo to dseribe un eo
pare solr ell Chapter 2 deeibs in geet tems how Light ebergy Is
nero int els comparing the patsolse eonrcter with ther
‘ystens aad evlanting the Lite to elceny. Chapters 3 and cover the
‘use physic ofthe nmleondctr, the smzoadurtarteanpor uations
‘sd the process of ght abortion al erie rennet, Chagte
foes onthe concep of the seymmeti junction, apd deta the di
‘erent typ of Justin which are expla In phetovlas, Chapter 6
‘pple the theory of eater chapter juneton the cli del
asl call Chapters and ae concuoid wih the range of photo
‘okaie mates and device designs. Chapter 7 dels wth monocysalie
rm juneion deve, lating toe mol of Chapter 6 to pacts devine,vung entalne silicon and gall arvenie lls as example. Chapter 8
Gels with thin fin photorltae materials, dscusing physical procaes
‘and dg inc leant to hi ln and focaning on the ways in whch
‘th stad ode mt be adapted fr tia Bim devi. Chapter 9 eae
wth vvions tches for sanaging Igbt in order to maximise perfor
Inne, and Chapter 10 ores a ange of sppanci, mainly theoretical,
to laecesng the fiiney’of clr ells above te mit fo singe bad
ap photocanetar
Tam grtefal tal fhe people who ave helped me pepe this bok
ptr, to Kath Barbar or paing the oil propo rom Ir
pedal Colege Prem i ny dition to Leon Pre and David Ind for
[ving me Ue opportunity to tsk the physics af solar ol Yo Ses
‘eat at Loxehborough, and wo eta the bate course fom which hs
brook developed; ta all tho seeach stadt in photvaale wt Ipeca
College fr tling so many interesting qutons,espeilly Jenny Brae,
“James Connoyand Benjamin Klligeto Ralph Gotaolg, Tom Mosk
‘at and Peter Wher! for beip with qesons related to material a ts
brooks to Ned Eli Dau ond Jane Nebon for that spf comments
‘on thet; to Cle Neon forthe caver tration and Yo aller a
Tongs who ve bnlped in ay edenvons to understand bow these tgs
work, in pata to Richard Corks, Jes Daan, Michel Gite,
rin Green, Chriana Honsberg, Sean Kettazn and Ellen Moots
Tam grat tothe Gregprace Eavirouuetal Trot fr funding me 10
‘sy cr nl Before they wee pope an tothe UK Engineering and
‘Psi cence Rewarch Coul end fran Advanced Research Folow=
ship which allmed me to spend my Saturday afternoon writing chapter
Tasted of tecture Finally Tam grateful to John Nova fr bi encoaegee
set toatrt on his projet ad a LaentCharsiade nd hi ota a IC
Pres ad to Lalahn!Narayen and colleagues ot Worl Stati, or the
help in ing hour
‘hiebook dented tothe memory of Stophan Rebinan and MLV.
MeCoughn,
Jenny Naloa
Tandon, Apa 202
Contents
Place
(Chapter 1 Introduetos
11 Photons Ia Bleeuons Out: Th Photovoltaic Beet
12, Bilt History ofthe Selae Cl
13. Photvoltse Cela and Power Genurtion
181, Photvltal cll, dle and syste
132, Some important defatioas
1A. Gharactrae ofthe Photorotaie Cll A Sunmary
TAL Photocrent and qunstun eicency
142, Dar eweat and open deus wltage
143. EMfleny
144, Parsi ristanes
YAS, Nowideal dnd behaviour
18, Sumuary
Rebenee
(Chapter 2 Photons Ia, Electrons Out: Basic
Principles of PV
21, Introduction
22, The Solar Resource
28. Typeset Solar Enegy Conerter
24. Detaled Balance
242. Te agullaun,
2.42, Under flnioaion
25, Weck Ava rm # Photovelae Deve
283, Photocurat
pee