PHY250: Physics of Energy and the Environment

Homework 4
Marked out of 65
Date issued: 29 Jan. 2013
Hand in by 4pm: 5 Feb. 2013
1. A theoretical model for the I V characteristic of a solar cell is described by:

C = SC S (exp 1) (1)
T

Explain the meaning of ISC, the short-circuit current and VOC, the open circuit voltage. Use
the above equation to derive

OC = T ln(1 +

SC
S

) (2)

[6]

The short circuit current is that current which flows through a solar cell when its connections
are not short-circuited. The open circuit voltage is the voltage difference between the two
connectors when there is no other circuit element is attached to the circuit. Note that Ic=0
when V=Voc and V=0 when Ic= Isc. Hence Isc and Voc are the values of Ic and V where the I-V
graph of the solar cell intersects the V and I axes.
Isc

Voc

(oc ) = 0

So, SC S exp oc 1 = 0
T
oc
sc
exp = 1 +
T
s
sc
oc = T ln(1 + ) [6]
s

2. Blue light of wavelength 475 nm falls on a silicon photocell made from a semiconductor
with bandgap is 1.1 eV. What is the maximum fraction of the lights energy that can be
converted into electrical power? [5]
Only the fraction of the incident energy equal to the bandgap energy can be converted to
electrical power, the rest is lost as thermal energy (the semiconductor heats up)
g
1.1 eV
1.1 eV
So efficienc , =
=
=
= 42% [5]
475 nm

2.61 eV

3. (a) Explain why some materials are insulators, some conductors and some semiconductors.
[8]
In crystalline materials the atomic energy levels broaden to form continuous bands of
electron energy levels. The energy level below which the energy levels in the band are filled
with electrons and above which the energy levels are filled is called the Fermi energy. If the
Fermi energy is within a band the electrons are free to move through the material and so the
material is a conductor. If the Fermi energy is in the gap between two bands then the lower
band is completely full of electrons and the upper band completely empty. The material will
only conduct if some of the electrons in the lower band can be excited (thermally or optically,
i.e. by exchanging energy with photons) to the upper band. If the energy gap between the
bands, the bandgap energy, is small, i.e. about 1 eV, then the material is a semiconductor. A
small bandgap means that there is enough thermal energy at room temperature to excite
some electrons to the higher band. If the band gap energy is large, i.e. >> 1 eV, the number of
electrons thermally excited to the higher band is very low so the material will not conduct
electrical current very well in which case the materials is an insulator. [8]
(b) When pn junction is illuminated, explain carefully which way the current flows. [8]
Photons incident at the depletion region will excite an electron-hole pair in the internal
electric field produced by ionised donors (+ve charge) in the n region and ionised acceptors
(-ve charge) in the p region. The photo-excited electrons will therefore flow toward the n
region and the holes toward the p region. [8]
4. The current-voltage relation for an ideal diode is given by equation (1), where VT 0.026

V . Defining OC = T , explain the derivation of the formulae

OC

m = oc (1 + OC OC )
m = sc (1 OC )

for the voltage and current at maximum power. [10]

NB there was a typographical error in the original question, the last equation was
wrongly written as = ( + ).

V=Vm

= 0 , So

= c = (SC S exp 1)
T
C +

=0

V=Vm

m
m
m
SC S exp 1 S exp = 0
T
T
T

Make the approximation,

(1 +

(1 +

sc
m
m
) = (1 + )exp
s
T
T

m oc
)~
T T

So

ln 1 + sc = ln 1 + oc + m. From (2) and OC =

s

1
m 1
= ln(OC ) +
OC
T OC

OC

m = oc (1 + OC lnOC ) [5]
m = c (m )
m = sc (1 OC )

oc (1 + OC lnOC )
m = SC S (exp
1)
T
1
m = SC S (exp (
+ lnOC 1)
OC
From (1)
1
(1 OC )
m = S exp
OC
From the definition of Voc;

1
1
sc = S (exp
1) S exp

OC
OC
m = sc (1 OC ) [5]

5. A silicon photocell has an area of 4cm2 and is illuminated with AM1.5 solar radiation. The
short circuit current is 160 mA and the saturation current is 4 109 mA. Calculate the
maximum power output and the corresponding load resistor. (use the equations in Question
4). Also obtain the fill factor and the efficiency of the solar cell. [8]
m = oc (1 + OC lnOC ), and oc = T /OC
m = T

(1+OC lnOC )

OC = 1 +

OC
sc 1

= 0.041

T 0.026 V

So Vm=0.55 V
m = sc (1 OC ) =153 mA
Pm = ImVm = 84. 5 mW [3]

To have Im current flowing through the circuit with Vm potential difference across the
connectors of the solar cell the load resistor must be R= Vm/Im= 3.6 . [2]
Total incident solar power on 4 cm2 at AM1.5, Psol = 100 mWcm-2 4 cm2 = 0.4 W
So efficiency, =
Fill factor, =

max
sol

max

sc oc

= 21% [2]

= 0.83 [1]

6. Reading : Commercial solar cells (Chapter 6.6 of AJ).

In 100-150 words, give a description of different types of commercial solar cells including
typical band gaps, efficiencies, advantages/disadvantages. [10]
Single and multiple junctions. Mono-crystalline, single crystals, amorphous semiconductors.
Materials: Si, GaAs, CdTe,Bandgaps roughly 0.7 eV 1.8 eV. Efficiencies 12% 35%.
[10]
7. Photons of wavelength are incident on a pn junction with band gap equal to 1.1eV. For
the three cases of = 1.0 m, 1.5 m, 0.5 m, estimate the fraction of the photon energy
which can be converted to useful electrical energy and explain your reasoning. [10]
See question 2 for explanation.
1m = 88%
1.5m = 0%
0.5m = 44% [10]