Solar cell power generation principle doc

What is the working principle of solar cells?

All the aspects presented in this chapter will be discussed in greater detail in the following chapters. The working principle of solar cells is based on the photovoltaic effect, i.e. the generation of a potential difference at the junction of two different materials in response to electromag-netic radiation.

What are the design rules of a solar cell?

The third and last design rule that we discuss is light trapping. In an ideal solar cell, all light that is incident on the solar cell should be absorbed in the absorber layer. As we have discussed in Section 4.4, the intensity of light decreases exponentially as it travels through an absorptive medium.

What is the second chapter of a solar cell?

The second chapter contains the review of semiconductors and their properties, and gives a comparison among semiconductors and insulators in terms of their energy band structures. In Chapter 3, the structures and types of solar cells are summarized, and general aspects of the working principles of solar cells are explained.

What parameters are used to characterise the performance of solar cells?

The main parameters that are used to characterise the performance of solar cells are the peak power Pmax, the short-circuit current density Jsc, the open-circuit voltage Voc, and the fill factor FF. These parameters are determined from the illuminated J-V characteristic as illustrated in Fig. 8.9.

How much power does a solar cell produce?

The solar cell is the basic unit of a PV system. An individual solar cell produces direct current and power typically between 1 and 2 W, hardly enough to power most applications. For example, in case of crystalline silicon solar cells with a typical area of 10 × 10 cm2 an output power is typically around 1.5 Wp, with Voc ≈ 0.6 V and Isc ≈ 3.5 A.

What is covered in Chapter 3 of solar cells?

In Chapter 3, the structures and types of solar cells are summarized, and general aspects of the working principles of solar cells are explained. Chapter 3 also contains a comparison of the solar cells in regards to their efficiencies.