Optoelectronics of Solar Cells

by Greg P. Smestad

Overview

Photovoltaics, or solar cells, are a viable option as a nonpolluting renewable energy source. This text is designed to be an overview of photovoltaic solar cells for those in the fields of optics and optical engineering, as well as those who are interested in energy policy, economics, and the requirements for efficient photo-to-electric energy conversion.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780819444400
Publisher:	SPIE Press
Publication date:	07/28/2002
Series:	Press Monograph Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	118
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.40(d)

Table of Contents

	List of Symbols and Terms	ix
	Preface	xv
Chapter 1	Introduction to Solar Cells	1
1.1	Philosophy of the Text	1
1.2	Renewable Energy and Photovoltaics Background	2
1.3	What is a Solar Cell?	4
1.4	Solar Cell Modules	10
Chapter 2	Absorbing Solar Energy	15
2.1	Air Mass and the Solar Spectrum	15
2.2	Optical Properties of Solar-Cell Materials	19
2.2.1	Absorptivity	19
2.2.2	Absorption coefficient	20
2.2.3	Solar cell bandgap	23
2.2.4	Antireflection coatings	26
2.2.5	Thickness determination	29
2.2.6	Predicting absorptivity	30
2.3	Photoluminescence	32
Chapter 3	Solar Cell Equations	37
3.1	PV Device Characteristics	37
3.2	Quantum Efficiency for Current Collection	41
3.3	Lifetime, Diffusion Length, and Electron Concentrations	46
3.4	The Transport Equation and Current Extraction	44
Chapter 4	Photoelectrochemistry	51
4.1	Basic Photoelectrochemistry	51
4.2	The Dye-sensitized Nanocrystalline Solar Cell	51
Chapter 5	Generalized Model of a Solar Converter	57
5.1	General Thermodynamics of Light Conversion	57
5.2	Detailed Balance: The Generalized Planck Equation	59
5.3	The Luminescent Output	65
5.4	The Relationship Between Voltage and Luminescence Efficiency	66
5.5	Current-Voltage Characteristics and Luminescence	67
Chapter 6	Concentrators of Light	71
6.1	The Thermodynamic Limits of Light Concentrators	71
6.2	Geometrical Optics	71
6.2.1	General theory and sine brightness law	71
6.2.2	Examples of ideal geometric concentrators	73
6.3	Active Concentrators (Luminescent Systems)	77
6.3.1	Theory of luminescent systems	77
6.4	Light Enhancement in the Environment	78
Chapter 7	Economics of Photovoltaic Cells and Systems	81
7.1	The Basics of PV Economics	81
7.2	Estimated Solar Module Cost	82
7.3	Economics of Photovoltaic Systems	83
7.4	Economics of Solar Energy in the World Economy	85
7.5	Conclusions and Further Study	90
	Appendix	91
	A Basic Solar Energy Library for the Optical Specialist	93
	Index	97

Editorial Reviews

Explains the basic function of solar cells from an optical perspective. The author introduces the fundamental principles of photovoltaic solar converters, with an emphasis on their optical properties, outlines methods of solar cell testing and characterization, and identifies the requirements for manufacturing efficient and cost-effective light converters. The approach describes solar cells using Boson statistics for photons. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR