Physics of Solar Cells

The new edition of this highly regarded textbook provides a detailed overview of the most important characterization techniques for solar cells and a discussion of their advantages and disadvantages. It describes in detail all aspects of solar cell function, the physics behind every single step, as well as all the issues to be considered when improving solar cells and their efficiency. The text is now complete with examples of how the appropriate characterization techniques enable the distinction between several potential limitation factors, describing how quantities that have been introduced theoretically in earlier chapters become experimentally accessible. With exercises after each chapter to reinforce the newly acquired knowledge and requiring no more than standard physics knowledge, this book enables students and professionals to understand the factors driving conversion efficiency and to apply this to their own solar cell development.

Studenten, die mehr über die Grundlagen von Solarzellen erfahren möchten, werden von diesem Buch in hohem Maße profitieren. Auch Forscher, die sich erstmals mit der Erforschung von Solarzellen beschäftigen, erhalten ein nützliches Referenzwerk.

1 Problems of the Energy Economy2 Photons3 Semiconductors4 Conversion of Thermal Radiation into Chemical Energy5 Conversion of Chemical Energy into Electrical Energy6 Basic Structure of Solar Cells7 Limitations on Energy Conversion in Solar Cells8 Concepts for Improving the Efficiency of Solar Cells9 Characterization of Solar Cells (NEW)9.1 Spectral Response9.2 Quasi Steady-State Photoconductance (QSSPC)9.3 Photoluminescence9.4 Electroluminescence9.5 Thermography9.6 Light Beam Induced Current (LBIC)9.7 Suns-VOC9.8 Transient Techniques (Photovoltage Decay, Transient Absorption, Charge Extraction Through Linearily Increasing Voltage, Impedance Spectroscopy)10 Prospects for the Future