A course in Si solar cell design – Pietro P. Altermatt

The photovoltaic principle

1

Absorption of light

2

Production of a current

3

Production of a voltage

4

Selective contacts

5

The role of the p-n junction

6

Recombination

7

Currents through the diode (in the dark)

8

The solar cell under illumination

9

The solar cell’s output parameters

10

Cell improvements

11

The Shockley equation for the diode

12

Interview with Peter Würfel

The most general idea

The Carnot process

Solar cells as heat engines

13

14

Conversion of solar heat into chemical energy

15

Conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy

Realization

16