Fundamentals of Solar Cells

PrefaceList of SymbolsList of AcronymsChapter l Survey of Basic Concepts 1.1 Sources of Energy 1.2 The Role of Photovoltaic Conversion 1.3 Historical Survey 1.4 Solar Cells and Solar Systems: A Technical Overview 1.5 Materials and Materials Problems 1.6 A General Perspective on Energy and the Future General References ReferencesChapter 2 Solar Insolation 2.1 Solar Spectrum 2.2 Effects of the Earth's Atmosphere 2.3 Measurement of Solar Insolation 2.4 Solar Simulation 2.5 Solar Cell Testing Methods General References ReferencesChapter 3 Properties of Semiconductors 3.1 Energy Levels 3.2 Determination of the Fermi Energy 3.3 Electrical Conductivity 3.4 Optical Absorption 3.5 Recombination General References ReferencesChapter 4 Application of the Transport Equation 4.1 Overview 4.2 Basic Ingredients for the Transport Equation 4.3 Derivation of the Transport Equation 4.4 Solution of the Transport Equation 4.5 Special Topics 4.6 Measurement of Minority Carrier Lifetime and Diffusion Length ReferencesChapter 5 Junctions 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Homojunctions 5.3 Heterojunctions 5.4 Modifications to the Simple Heterojunction Model 5.5 Models for Heterojunction Transport 5.6 Summary of Heterojunction Transport 5.7 Schottky Barriers, MIS, and SIS Structures 5.8 Ohmic Contacts 5.9 Summary ReferencesChapter 6 The Calculation of Solar Efficiency 6.1 The Ideal Cell under Illumination 6.2 The Effects of Series and Parallel Resistance 6.3 Other Treatments of the Calculation of Solar Efficiency 6.4 The Effect of Temperature and Illumination on Cell Efficiency 6.5 Loss Analysis ReferencesChapter 7 Silicon Solar Cells 7.1 History 7.2 Growth of Single-Crystal Silicon 7.3 Imperfections, Doping, and Lifetime 7.4 The Fabrication and Parameters for a Typical Si Cell 7.5 Fine Tuning 7.6 Novel Approaches 7.7 Economics and Innovation ReferencesChapter 8 Heterojunction and Heteroface Structure Cells 8.1 Choice of Heterojunction Solar Cell Components 8.2 The AlGaAs/GaAs Heteroface Solar Cell 8.3 InP-Based Cells 8.4 Summary ReferencesChapter 9 Polycrystalline Thin Films for Solar Cells 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Growth of Thin Films 9.3 Optical Effects in Thin Films 9.4 Electrical Transport Properties 9.5 The Effect of Grain Boundaries in Polycrystalline Solar Cells 9.6 Epilogue General References ReferencesChapter 10 The CuxS/CdS Cell: A Case History of an All-Thin-Film Cell 10.1 Historical Introduction 10.2 Properties of CuxS and CdS 10.3 Photovoltaic Processes and Theoretical Efficiency 10.4 The Relation of CuxS Layer Properties to Cell Efficiency and Stability 10.5 Fundamental Heterojunction Transport Phenomena in CuxS Cells 10.6 CuxS/ZnyCd1-yS Cells 10.7 Summary General References ReferencesChapter 11 Other Photovoltaic Cells 11.1 Schottky, MIS, and SIS Junction Solar Cells 11.2 Amorphous Silicon 11.3 InP-Based Thin-Film Cells 11.4 CdTe-Based Cells 11.5 Cells Based on the I-III-VI2 Chalcopyrites 11.6 Exploratory Materials ReferencesChapter 12 Concentrators, Concentrator Systems, and Photoelectrochemical Cells 12.1 Elementary Concentrator Systems 12.2 Photovoltaic Cells Used in Concentrator Systems 12.3 Complex Systems 12.4 Photoelectrochemical Conversion ReferencesAppendix 1 Air-Mass 1.5 Solar Insolation DataAppendix 2 Transport Equation Solutions for Dark and Illuminated CasesIndex