2.627 Fundamentals of Photovoltaics (Fall 2011, MIT OCW): Lecture 14 - PV Efficiency: Measurement and Theoretical Limits

2.627 Fundamentals of Photovoltaics

2.627 Fundamentals of Photovoltaics (Fall 2011, MIT OCW). Instructor: Prof. Tonio Buonassisi. In this course, students learn about the fundamentals of photoelectric conversion: charge excitation, conduction, separation, and collection. Lectures cover commercial and emerging photovoltaic technologies and cross-cutting themes, including conversion efficiencies, loss mechanisms, characterization, manufacturing, systems, reliability, life-cycle analysis, and risk analysis. Some of the course will also be devoted to discussing photovoltaic technology evolution in the context of markets, policies, society, and environment. (from ocw.mit.edu)

Lecture 14 - PV Efficiency: Measurement and Theoretical Limits

Theoretical efficiency limits. Materials and device-related efficiency loss mechanisms. Simulation of solar cell performance. Optical losses, recombination losses (and photon recycling), surface recombination velocity, series and parallel resistance (shunts). Band offset losses (both internal junctions and external contacts). Contact-related losses.

Go to the Course Home or watch other lectures:

Lecture 01 - Introduction

Lecture 02 - The Solar Resource

Lecture 03 - Light Absorption and Optical Losses

Lecture 04 - Charge Excitation

Lecture 05 - Charge Separation, Part I: Diode

Lecture 06 - Charge Separation, Part II: Diode Under Illumination

Lecture 07 - Toward a 1D Device Model, Part I: Device Fundamentals

Lecture 08 - Toward a 1D Device Model, Part II: Material Fundamentals

Lecture 09 - Charge Extraction

Lecture 10 - Wafer Silicon-Based Solar Cells, Part I

Lecture 11 - Wafer Silicon-Based Solar Cells, Part II