Course Details
Course Information Package
Course Unit Title | THIN FILM SOLAR CELLS | ||
Course Unit Code | AEEE463 | ||
Course Unit Details | |||
Number of ECTS credits allocated | 5 | ||
Learning Outcomes of the course unit | By the end of the course, the students should be able to:
| ||
Mode of Delivery | Face-to-face | ||
Prerequisites | AEEE362 | Co-requisites | NONE |
Recommended optional program components | NONE | ||
Course Contents |
· Photovoltaics Generation: Introduction to photovoltaic generation, Solar radiation, The silicon p–njunction, Photon absorption at the junction, Solar radiation absorption,Maximising cell efficiency, Solar cell construction, Equivalent circuit of asolar cell, Types and adaptations of photovoltaics, Photovoltaic circuitproperties, Applications and systems, Social and environmental aspects.
· Semiconductor Processes of Photovoltaics Technologies: Introduction to the physics of the various photovoltaictechnologies: Monocrystalline Silicon, Polycrystalline Silicon, AmorphousSilicon, GaAs, CIGS, CdTe and Multijunction (Tandem) solar cells includinggeneration, recombination, carrier lifetimes, Debye length, energy band gaps,valence, conduction bands, Fermi-Level, p-n junction, depletion region andintrinsic electric field.
· Thin film solar cells: Introduction and basic concepts of thin film solarcells, Photovoltaic solar energy conversion, Solar energy technologies,Electrochemical deposition of solar energy materials, CdTe solar cells, CIGSsolar cells, GaAs solar cells, Effective harvesting of photons, Multi-layergraded bandgap solar cells, Solar cell behaviour in complete darkness, Effectsof defects on the solar cell characteristics, and Future directions, Researchand development of the above ground braking thin film photovoltaictechnologies. · Simulation of thin films: Simulation exercises usingthe PC1D/WXAMPS program to reinforce an understanding of device physics and thedifferent solar cell technologies, Mathematical models used for characterisation of solar cells, Spectralresponse, Temperature sensitivity, Resistive losses, Current-voltagegeneration, open-circuit voltages and short-circuit currents. | ||
Recommended and/or required reading: | |||
Textbooks |
| ||
References |
| ||
Planned learning activities and teaching methods |
Teaching is based on lectures. The course delivery will be based on theoreticallecturing, assignments and exercises solved in class. Exercises will be handedto students and their solutions shall be analysed at lecture periods.Additional tutorial time at the end of each lecture will be provided to students.Students are expected to demonstrate the necessary effort to become confidentwith the different concepts and topics of the course. | ||
Assessment methods and criteria | |||
Language of instruction | English | ||
Work placement(s) | NO |