CHAPTHER 3: Solar Photovoltaics (part 1)
Operation
3-1 The PN Junction
Crystalline silicon (c-Si) is the major material
used in semiconductors. The neutral silicon
atom has 14 protons, 14-16 neutrons, and 14
electrons.
The process of doping is used to create n and p
materials, that have either an excess of
electrons in the crystalline structure or a
deficiency of electrons.
When a pn junction is formed from a single
crystal of Si, an n region is on one side and a p
region is on the other side. A depletion region
is formed at the boundary.
The pn junction is the key property of ordinary
semiconductor diodes and allows the diode to
pass current in one direction only.
3-2 Photovoltaic Cell Structure and
A PV cell is a specialized diode that has a
window into a thin n region. At the junction
between the regions a depletion layer forms as
in an ordinary diode.
Light enters the PV cell through the window on
top. If the photon energy of the light is higher
than the band gap energy of 1.12 eV, it will
knock out electrons from the valence band of
the Si into the conduction band, creating an
electron-hole pair. These electrons move across
the depletion region and develop a voltage
across the cell.
3-3 Types of PV Technologies
1. Monocrystalline Cells
- single crystal wafer cells
- have the highest efficiency
2. Polycrystalline Cells
- composed of numerous smaller
crystals
- less efficient
3. Thin-film Cells
- made from amorphous Si
- have the lowest cost but also
lowest efficiency
• Useful type of monocrystalline
semiconductor is Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)
o Higher efficiency cell
o High heat resistance

• Another PV tech: Dye-sensitized solar cell

(DSSC)
o Inexpensive and simple to make
o Low efficiency
o Problems with the liquid
electrolyte
• Maximum power occurs on the “knee”
3-4 Multijunction Thin-Film
of the I-V curve.
• A multijunction thin-film PV cell is two
or more types of single-junction cells
arranged in descending order of band
gap
• Each cell is designed to absorb photons
over a specific portion of the
electromagnetic spectrum that matches
the band gap

• Current from a cell is proportional to

the irradiance

• Matching the photon energy to the

band gap greatly increases the overall
efficiency. A recent triple junction cell
was tested at 44% efficient, with the
prospects for 50% in the future.

3-5 PV Cell Characteristics and Parameters

• The I-V characteristic for a solar cell is
essentially constant over a range of
output voltages for a specified incident
light energy.
 • Fill Factor is the ratio of the cell's actual • The specific output depends on the size
maximum power output (VMPP x IMPP) to and the internal wiring of the module.
its theoretical power output (VOC x ISC)
Note: Standard Test Conditions specify solar
irradiance at 1000 W/m2, temperature at 25°C
and air mass (AM) coefficient of 1.5

• Each module is rated 17W

• Most solar systems consist of multiple
modules that are combined into arrays

3-7 Solar Module Data Sheet Parameters

3-8 Concentrating Photovoltaics (CPV)
• CPV systems use lenses, mirrors, or a
• PV cells also have a temperature
combination of both to concentrate
dependence
sunlight on a small area of PV cells.
o Increasing temperature
• CPV systems work best with direct
decreases the band gap and
rather than diffuse light, so tracking
decreases the open-circuit
systems are generally employed with
voltage
CPV systems
o Current changes only slightly
with temperature.

3-6 Solar Modules and Arrays

• Modules come in a variety of sizes,

types and ratings
• The performance of PV modules are
usually rated according to their
maximum DC power output (watts)
under Standard Test Conditions (STC)
KEY TERMS Solar Array:

A combination of solar modules

Band Gap:
The amount of energy required to free
an electron from the valence band of an Solar Modules:
atom. For silicon, the band gap energy
Combinations of multiple PV cells
is 1.12 eV.
connected to produce a specified
power, voltage, and current output

Doping:

The process used to increase the Thin Films:

conductivity of a semiconductor in a
Types of photovoltaic that use layers of
precise and controlled way
semiconductor materials from less than
a micrometer (micron) to a few
micrometers thick
Fill Factor:

The ratio of a cell's actual maximum

power output to its theoretical power
output.

Hole:

A vacancy created in an atomic bond

when a valence electron becomes a
free electron.

PN Junction:

The boundary created between an n-

type and p-type semiconductor.

Photovoltaic (PV) Cell:

A device that converts the energy of

sunlight directly into electricity using a
thin layer or wafer of silicon that has
been doped to create a pn junction.