Design of solar cells for terrestrial use

Abstract

The various aspects that must be considered to successfully design solar cells for terrestrial systems are presented. Some of the more recent developments in solar cell technology are mentioned. It is concluded that the most logical approach to the use of silicon solar cells for terrestrial applications is to utilize solar concentrators in conjunction with cells specially designed for such operations. The factors that affect solar-cell performance are discussed, and an experiment is described that optimizes the most important parameters for obtaining the best performance at intensities of between 100 and 400 milliwatts per square centimeter. The characteristics of such optimized cells are compared with the more common cell designs with regard to the various electrical parameters. A discussion of cell-concentrator systems is presented and some cost estimates are given.