High-Efficiency PV Solar Cells

The course can be seen as a follow-up of PV Technologies and will discuss current developments in the field of high-efficiency solar cells: both single junction solar cells and tandem (and even multi-junction) PV devices. Besides silicon-based solar cells and modules the course will cover thin-film devices such as the novel perovskite solar cells. Details of processing and characterization techniques of PV absorber materials and the solar cell's functional coating will be discussed. Examples of lecture topics are advanced light management structures, novel surface passivating layers and contacting schemes. Background of deposition technologies such as Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) will be given. Furthermore, working principles of special coatings and its functionality when applied to different solar cell concepts, including tandem devices, will be presented.

This course is an elective one following the solar profile. It is recommended to have the courses PV Basics and PV Technologies concluded successfully.