Shining Light on Solar Cells - Chapter 5.0: How do Solar Cells Work? (Working Principle, IV Curve, Photovoltaic Parameters, Solar Cell Datasheet)

You made it! Now we are finally actually learning solar cells! This video explains

• working principle
• IV curve
• photovoltaic parameters
• datasheet of a commercial solar panel

References

Record-breaking efficiency solar cell Haase, Felix, et al. "Laser contact openings for local poly-Si-metal contacts enabling 26.1%-efficient POLO-IBC solar cells." Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 186 (2018): 184-193.

Further reference materials that I highly recommend:

Solar Cells Lecture 1: Introduction to Photovoltaics

ECE Purdue Primer on Semiconductor Fundamentals

A. Kitai, in Principles of Solar Cells, LEDs and Diodes: The Role of the PN Junction, John Wiley & Sons, West Sussex, UK 2011

Luque, A. and Hegedus, S. (2003). Handbook of Photovoltaic Science and Engineering. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 978-0-471-49196-5.

Other parts in this series:

• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2.0: Semiconductor Physics (Band Diagram, Free Carriers)
  • Chapter 2.1: Semiconductor Physics (Doping)
  • Chapter 2.2: Semiconductor Physics (Fermi-Energy Level)
• Chapter 3.0: PN Junction diode (Drift and Diffusion)
• Chapter 3.1: PN Junction diode (Forward & Reverse Bias, IV Curve)
• Chapter 4: Photons