Arno Smets

Solar Cell Operation, Performance and

Design Rules
External Parameters of an Ideal Solar Cell
Week 3.2.1
JV-Curve
10
0
-10
-20
30
-40
Voltage (V)
C
u
r
r
e
n
t

D
e
n
s
i
t
y

(
m
A
c
m
-
2
)
-0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
JV-Characteristic: the external parameters
I
D
I
I
PH
V
OC
Open circuit voltage V
OC
10
0
-10
-20
-30
-40
Voltage (V)
C
u
r
r
e
n
t

D
e
n
s
i
t
y

(
m
A
c
m
-
2
)
-0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
V
OC
J0
JJ
PH
J
0
exp
qV
OC
k
B
T

0
V
OC

k
B
T
q
ln
J
PH
J
0
+1

Temperature
Open Circuit Voltage
V
OC

k
B
T
q
ln
J
PH
J
0
+1

n
Open circuit voltage
The band gap of the absorber material
The amount of doping of the doped layers
The quality of the material
The light generated current density
Temperature
JV-Characteristic: the external parameters
I
D
I
I
PH J
SC
Short circuit current J
sc
10
0
-10
-20
-30
-40
Voltage (V)
C
u
r
r
e
n
t

D
e
n
s
i
t
y

(
m
A
c
m
-
2
)
-0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
V
OC
J
SC
JJ
PH
J
0
exp
qV
k
B
T

J
SC
V 0
J
SC
J
PH
Short circuit current
Incident light intensity (number of photons)
The spectrum of the incident light
The optical properties (absorption coefficient)
The collection probability
JV-Characteristic: the external parameters
Power density :
power = current voltage
Watt = Ampere Volt
W/m
2
= A/m
2
V
10
0
-10
-20
-30
-40
10
0
-10
-20
30
-40
Voltage (V)
C
u
r
r
e
n
t

D
e
n
s
i
t
y

(
m
A
c
m
-
2
)
-0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
V
oc
J
sc
P
max
Maximum
power point
P
o
w
e
r

D
e
n
s
i
t
y

(
m
W
c
m
-
2
)
10
0
-10
-20
-30
-40
10
0
-10
-20
30
-40
Voltage (V)
C
u
r
r
e
n
t

D
e
n
s
i
t
y

(
m
A
c
m
-
2
)
-0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
V
oc
P
max
Maximum
power point
P
o
w
e
r

D
e
n
s
i
t
y

(
m
W
c
m
-
2
)
J
mp
J
sc
V
mp
JV-Characteristic: the Fill Factor
FF
P
max
J
sc
V
oc

J
mp
V
mp
J
sc
V
oc
10
0
-10
-20
-30
-40
10
0
-10
-20
30
-40
Voltage (V)
C
u
r
r
e
n
t

D
e
n
s
i
t
y

(
m
A
c
m
-
2
)
-0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
V
oc
J
mp
P
max
P
o
w
e
r

D
e
n
s
i
t
y

(
m
W
c
m
-
2
)
J
sc
V
mp
FF=
Efficiency

Pout
Pin
J
mp
V
mp
J
sc
V
oc
FF

Pmax
Pin

Jmp Vmp
Pin

Jsc Voc FF
Pin
efficiency is expressed in all external parameters!
, V
oc
, J
SC
, FF

Pout
Pin

Pmax
Pin

VmpImp
Pin

Voc Isc FF
Pin
Efficiency
T 25C
Standard test conditions
Pin 1000 Wm
2
AM1.5
2.00
1.75
1.50
1.25
1.00
0.75
0.50
0.25
0.00 0
0 500 100
0
3500 150
0
AM1.5
Wavelength (nm)
P
(
l
)

(
W
m
-
2

n
m
-
1
)
2000 2500 3000 4000
I
r
r
a
d
i
a
n
c
e
I

(
W
m
-
2
)
200
400
600
800
1000
AM1.5 Spectrum
10
0
-10
-20
30
-40
10
0
-10
-20
30
-40
Voltage (V)
C
u
r
r
e
n
t

D
e
n
s
i
t
y

(
m
A
c
m
-
2
)
-0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
V
oc
J
mp
P
max
P
o
w
e
r

D
e
n
s
i
t
y

(
m
W
c
m
-
2
)
J
sc
V
mp
=35 mA/cm
2
=0.64 V
= 19 mWcm
-2
FF=84.8%
Thank you for your attention!
Thank you for your attention!