RESULTS:

Open Circuit Voltage, Voc = 580 mV

Short Circuit Current, Isc = 1.42 A, Jsc = 4.93 mA/sq cm

IV measurement:

V (V)

I (A)

0.58
0.5447
0.423
0.078
0.0475
0.041
0.0587
0.00E+00

0
0.0011
0.01152
0.45
0.44
0.41
0.6
1.42

Power
(mW)
5.8E-10
0.59917
4.87296
35.1
20.9
16.81
35.22
0

IV curve of Solar cell

1.00E+00

Current (A)

1.00E-02
1.00E-04
1.00E-06
I (A)
1.00E-08
1.00E-10
1.00E-12
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

Voltage (V)

0.5

0.6

0.7

Power vs Voltage
40
35

Power (mW)

30
25
20
Power (mW)

15
10
5
0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Voltage (V)

Calculated Values:
Fill Factor
R series
R shunt
Pin
Pmax
Efficiency

0.0427
3.21 cm2
9.276 k cm2
23.63 W
0.0352 W
0.1489 %

The Fill factor was calculated from the IV curve by finding the Maximum power point P max
from the power curve and then by using FF = Pmax / (Voc. Isc)
The series resistance is found by calculating the slope of the IV curve near the Voc point.
Inverting the slope and multiplying it by the area of the cell gives the Series Resistance in cm 2
The shunt resistance is found by calculating the slope of the IV curve near the Isc point.
Inverting the slope and multiplying it by the area of the cell gives the Shunt Resistance in cm2.

The efficiency is then calculated by

REFERENCES:
1.
2.
3.
4.

http://pveducation.org/pvcdrom/solar-cell-operation/iv-curve
http://www.californiascientific.com/resource/Solar%20Cell.pdf
http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-4854EN.pdf
http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~kwasinski/_4_EE462L_Solar.pdf

APPENDIX:
CALCULATION:
Measurement Date and time: October 7, 2011, 11:00 a.m.
October 7 = 279 th day of the year.
Day of the year in degrees: = 360/365 *(279-81+(11-12)/24) = 195.25 deg

Declination angle:

= 23.45 *sin (360/365 * 279-81) = -6.18 deg

Maximum elevation at solar noon

Latitude angle = 33.4 deg for Tempe, AZ

= 90 33.4 6.18 = 50.42 degrees

Local Standard Time Meridian LSTM = 15 deg * TGMT, where TGMT = 7 hours for Arizona (MST)
LSTM = 15 * 7 = 105 deg

Equation of Time:

Where
B = 360/365 * (279 -81) = 195.28 deg
EOT = 9.87 sin (2*195.28) 7.53 cos (195.28) -1.5 sin (195.28) = 5.018 + 7.26 + 0.395 = 12.673

Time Correction Factor:

TC = 4(Longitude LSTM) + EOT = 4(111 105) + 12.673 = 36.673

Local Solar Time:

LST = LT + TC/60 = 11 + 36.673/60 = 11.6112

Hour Angle (HRA):

HRA = 15 (LST -12) = 15 (11.6112 -12 ) = -5.831 deg

Elevation:
Elevation = sin-1 (sin (-6.18) sin (33.4) + cos (-6.18) cos (33.4) cos (-5.831)) = 50.035 deg
Zenith = 90 50.035= 39.965 deg
AM = 1/cos (Zenith angle) = 1.3047 units
Id = 1.353 * 0.7 1.3047 ^ 0.678 = 0.8825 kW/sqm
Ig = 1.1*0.8825 = 0.9707kW/sqm
Power Input to the Solar cell of area 0.156*0.156 sq m:
Pin =0.9707 * (0.156*0.156) = 23.62 W
Fill factor from Graphs: 0.043
Voc = 0.58 V
Isc = 1.42 A
Pmax = 0.0352 W
Efficiency = Pmax / Pin = 0.1489 %