EXPERIMENT-10

Simulation of solar cell using

PC1D

(intensity=.1 W/cm2 ,p-type dopping=1e16,source resistance=20 ohm-cm^2)

Calculated maximum power=.6373*2.275=1.4 watt

Fill factor= (1.2/1.4)*100 =86 percent

(intensity=.1 W/cm2 ,p-type dopping=1e16,source resistance=0 ohm-cm^2)

VARIATION OF INTENSITY:

CONCLUSION:
At higher intensity more short circuit current can be obtained keeping the open circuit voltage
almost the same.

VARIATION OF P TYPE MATERIAL DOPING CONCENTRATION:

CONCLUSION:
With increase in the doping concentration of p-type material the open circuit
volatage level can be increased but short circuit current is slightly decreased.
Lower doping density leads to a wider depletion region, which is beneficial for carrier
collection.
EVIDENCE:

(doping conc.=1e14)

(doping conc.=1e17)

QUESTIONS:

1. Compare solar cell with a PN junction diode.

A solar cell or photovoltaic cell, is an electrical device that converts the
energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect, which is
a physical and chemical phenomenon.[1] It is a form of photoelectric cell,
defined as a device whose electrical characteristics, such as current, voltage,
or resistance, vary when exposed to light. Solar cells are the building blocks
of photovoltaic modules, otherwise known as solar panels. The collection of
light-generated carriers by the p-n junction causes a movement of electrons to the ntype side and holes to the p-type side of the junction. Under short circuit conditions,
there is no buildup of charge, as the carriers exit the device as light-generated current.

However, if the light-generated carriers are prevented from leaving the solar cell, then
the collection of light-generated carriers causes an increase in the number of electrons
on the n-type side of the p-n junction and a similar increase in holes in the p-type
material. This separation of charge creates an electric field at the junction which is in
opposition to that already existing at the junction, thereby reducing the net electric field.
Since the electric field represents a barrier to the flow of the forward bias diffusion
current, the reduction of the electric field increases the diffusion current. A new
equilibrium is reached in which a voltage exists across the p-n junction. The current
from the solar cell is the difference between I L and the forward bias current. Under open
circuit conditions, the forward bias of the junction increases to a point where the lightgenerated current is exactly balanced by the forward bias diffusion current, and the net
current is zero. The voltage required to cause these two currents to balance is called the
"open-circuit voltage".

A diode is a pn junction designed to under zero illumination where as a solar

cell is to work under illumination

2. Why the IV curve for solar cell appears in 4th quadrant? How a typical I-V
curve for solar cell is represented? Why?
The current in other Optoelectric devices like LED and photocells are flowing
from a source of voltage to the devices but in case of solar cell, current flows
from the cell to the load and thus current in circuit is taken to be in opposite ( or
negative direction ). The voltage is still positive. Therefore, the I-V
charecteristics is drawn in 4th Quadrant.

IV curve of a typical solar cell-

Since the curve is drawn in 4th quadrant,so the nature of graph will be similar to that of I-V charecteristics
of p-n junction diode flipped vertically(about x axis).

3. Plot the I-V curves (About 3 to 4) on varying incident radiation ranging from 0.0
W/cm2 to 0.1 W/cm2. Record the corresponding open circuit voltage (Voc), short
circuit current (Isc), and the max output power (Pmax) in a table. Mark the max
power point and draw the locus. Write your conclusions about the plots.
i) .001 W/cm2

ii) .01 W/cm2

ii) .1 W/cm2

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:

Radiation(W/m2

Isc(A)

Voc(V)

Power(W)

.001
.01
.1

-.0231
-.2310
-2.311

.4770
.5360
.5953

8.758e-3
.1007
1.138

CONCLUSION:

By observing the plots it is evident that current varies if the illumination is varied.
PV curve is as given below ( .1 W/cm2):

4. Why I-V curve dark characteristics cannot be obtained for 0 W/cm2 in PC1D.
For 0 W/cm2 :

The extreme nonlinearity of the fully-coupled semiconductor device equations

makes convergence to a non-equilibrium solution difficult. Several measures have

been taken within PC1D to assist convergence, but despite this we will eventually
generate problems that will not converge.The above problem is one such situation.