
Fundamentals Of Solar Cells
Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conversion
- 1st Edition - May 28, 1983
- Imprint: Academic Press
- Authors: Alan Fahrenbruch, Richard Bube
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 1 2 - 4 1 4 2 2 2 - 0
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 1 4 5 3 8 - 1
Fundamentals of Solar Cells: Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conversion provides an introduction to the fundamental physical principles of solar cells. It aims to promote the expansion… Read more

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Request a sales quoteFundamentals of Solar Cells: Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conversion provides an introduction to the fundamental physical principles of solar cells. It aims to promote the expansion of solar photovoltaics from relatively small and specialized use to a large-scale contribution to energy supply. The book begins with a review of basic concepts such as the source of energy, the role of photovoltaic conversion, the development of photovoltaic cells, and sequence of phenomena involved in solar power generation. This is followed by separate chapters on each of the processes that take place in solar cell. These include solar input; properties of semiconductors; recombination and the flow of photogenerated carriers; charge separation and the characteristics of junction barriers; and calculation of solar efficiency. Subsequent chapters deal with the operation of specific solar cell devices such as a single-crystal homojunction (Si); a single-crystal-heterojunction/buried-homojunction (AlGaAs/GaAs); and a polycrystalline, thin-film cell (CuxS/CdS). This book is intended for upper-level graduate students who have a reasonably good understanding of solid state physics and for scientists and engineers involved in research and development of solar cells.
Preface
List of Symbols
List of Acronyms
Chapter 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
References
Chapter 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
References
Chapter 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
References
Chapter 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
References
Chapter 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
References
Chapter 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
References
Chapter 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
References
Chapter 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
References
Chapter 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
References
Chapter 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
References
Chapter 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
References
Chapter 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
References
Appendix 1 Air-Mass 1.5 Solar Insolation Data
Appendix 2 Transport Equation Solutions for Dark and Illuminated Cases
Index
- Edition: 1
- Published: May 28, 1983
- No. of pages (eBook): 580
- Imprint: Academic Press
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN: 9780124142220
- eBook ISBN: 9780323145381
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