Two related bodies of work are presented, both of which aim to further the rapid development of next generation concentrating photovoltaic systems using high efficiency multi junction solar cells. They are complementary since the characterization of commercial devices and the systematic application of design principles for future designs must progress in parallel in order to accelerate iterative improvements. First addressed, is the field characterization of state of the art concentrating photovoltaic systems. Performance modeling and root cause analysis of deviations from the modeling results are critical for bringing reliable high value products to the market. Two complementary tools are presented that facilitate acceleration of the development cycle. The “Dynamic real-time I V Curve Measurement System…” provides a live picture of the current-voltage characteristics of a CPV module. This provides the user with an intuitive understanding of how module performance responds under perturbation. The “Shutter technique for noninvasive individual cell characterization in sealed concentrating photovoltaic modules,” allows the user to probe individual cell characteristics within a sealed module. This facilitates non-invasive characterization of modules that are in situ. Together, these tools were used to diagnose the wide spread failure of epoxy connections between the carrier and the emitter of bypass diodes installed in sealed commercial modules. Next, the optimization principals that are used to choose energy yield maximizing bandgap combinations for multi-junction solar cells are investigated. It is well understood that, due to differences in the solar resource in different geographical locations, this is fundamentally a local optimization problem. However, until now, a robust methodology for determining the influences of geography and atmospheric content on the ideal design point has not been developed. This analysis is presented and the influence of changing environment on the representative spectra that are used to optimize bandgap combinations is demonstrated. Calculations are confirmed with ground measurements in Ottawa, Canada and the global trends are refined for this particular location. Further, as cell designers begin to take advantage of more flexible manufacturing processes, it is critical to know if and how optimization criteria must change for solar cells with more junctions. This analysis is expanded to account for the differences between cells with up to 8 subcell bandgaps. A number of software tools were also developed for the Sunlab during this work. A multi-junction solar cell model calibration tool was developed to determine the parameters that describe each subcell. The tool fits a two diode model to temperature dependent measurements of each subcell and provides the fitting parameters so that the performance of multi-junction solar cells composed of those subcells can be modeled for real world conditions before they are put on-sun. A multi-junction bandgap optimization tool was developed to more quickly and robustly determine the ideal bandgap combinations for a set of input spectra. The optimization process outputs the current results during iteration so that they may be visualized. Finally, software tools that compute annual energy yield for input multi-junction cell parameters were developed. Both a brute force tool that computes energy harvested at each time step, and an accelerated tool that first bins time steps into discrete bins were developed. These tools will continue to be used by members of the Sunlab.

L'objectif de cette thèse est de contribuer à la compréhension des propriétés optoélectroniques des couches minces de silicium hydrogénée, une étude détaillée a été effectuée. Les échantillons ont été déposés par 13,56 MHz PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) à partir du silane dilué avec l'argon (96 %). La température du substrat a été fixée à 200 °C. L'influence des paramètres de dépôts sur les propriétés optiques des échantillons a été étudiée par spectroscopie UV -Vis -NIR. L'évolution structurelle a été étudiée par spectroscopie Raman, TEM, AFM, FTIR et par diffraction des rayons X (XRD). La déposition des couches intrinsèques a été faite dans cette étude dans le but d'obtenir la transition de l'état amorphe à la phase cristalline des matériaux. La pression de dépôt varie de 400 mTorr à 1400 mTorr et la puissance de 50 à 250 W. La caractérisation structurelle montre qu'au-delà de 160 W, nous avons observé une transition amorphe nanocristalline, avec une augmentation de la fraction cristalline en augmentant la puissance et la pression. Les couches sont déposées avec des vitesses de dépôt relativement élevées (3.5 - 8 Å/s), ce qui est très souhaitable pour la fabrication des cellules photovoltaïques. La vitesse de dépôt augmente avec l'augmentation de la puissance et de la pression. Des différentes fractions cristallines et tailles des cristallites ont été obtenues en contrôlant la pression et la puissance. Ces modifications de structure ont été corrélées avec la variation des propriétés optiques et électriques des couches minces déposées. / The main objective of this thesis is to contribute to the understanding of the optoelectronics properties of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon thin films, a detailed study has been conducted. The samples were deposited by 13.56 MHz PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) of silane argon mixture. The argon dilution of silane for all samples studied was 96% by volume. The substrate temperature was fixed at 200 °C. The influence of depositions parameters on optical proprieties of samples was studied by UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. The structural evolution was studied by Raman spectroscopy, TEM, AFM, FTIR and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Intrinsic-layer samples depositions were made in this experiment in order to obtain the transition from the amorphous to crystalline phase materials. The deposition pressure varied from 400 mTorr to 1400 mTorr and the RF power from 50 to 250 W. The structural evolution studies show that beyond 160 W, we observed an amorphous-nanocrystalline transition, with an increase in crystalline fraction by increasing RF power and working pressure. Films near the amorphous to nanocrystalline transition region are grown at reasonably high deposition rates (3.5- 8 Å/s), which are highly desirable for the fabrication of cost effective devices. The deposition rate increases with increasing RF power and process pressure. Different crystalline fractions and crystallite size can be achieved by controlling the process pressure and RF power. These structural changes are well correlated to the variation of optical and electrical proprieties of the thin films.

Ce travail de thèse porte sur l’étudephoto-physique de chromophores donneur-π-accepteur utilisés dans les cellules solaires àcolorant. Après photo-excitation, ces moléculessubissent des processus de transfert de chargeintramoléculaire (ICT), de solvatation etd’injection de charges qui se déroulent dans ledomaine temporel de la picoseconde. Or touterelaxation énergétique de l’état excité diminue lacinétique de l’injection de charges.Des mesures de spectroscopie stationnaire et defluorescence résolue en temps (de la femto- à lananoseconde) ont permis de résoudre ladynamique de relaxation de ces colorants ensolution, sur films mésoporeux et en cellulescomplètes.Les dynamiques de relaxation spectrale etd’inhibition de l’intensité de fluorescence del’état excité ont pu être caractériséesindépendamment et mettent en évidence unchangement d’état électronique à l’état excité.Les trois colorants étudiés évoluent vers un étatà transfert de charge (état CT). Un tel étatinteragit fortement avec son environnement.Afin d’étudier l’injection de charge dans lesoxydes mésoporeux semi-conducteurs, unmontage expérimental de fluorescence résolue entemps destiné à l’étude de systèmes opaques etdiffusifs a été réalisé et est décrit dans cette thèse.Ce montage possède une résolution temporelled’environ 300 fs.Les résultats mettent en évidence la présenced’une compétition entre l’injection de charges etla relaxation de l’état excité dans les cellulescomplètes. / This thesis deals with thephotophysical study of donor-π-acceptorchromophores used in dye sensitized solar cells.After photo-excitation, these molecules undergointramolecular charge transfer (ICT), solvationand charge injection processes that take place inthe picosecond time domain. However, anyenergetic relaxation of the excited statedecreases the injection kinetics.Steady-state spectroscopy and time-resolvedfluorescence measurements (from the femto- tothe nanosecond) were used to solve therelaxation dynamics of these dyes in solution, onmesoporous films and in complete cells.The spectral relaxation and fluorescencequenching dynamics of the excited state couldbe characterized independently and highlight anelectronic relaxation at the excited state. Thethree dyes studied evolve towards a chargetransfer state (CT state). Such a state is in stronginteraction with its environment.To study charge injection in semiconductormesoporous oxides, a time-resolvedfluorescence set-up for the study of opaque anddiffusive systems has been implemented and isdescribed in this thesis. It provides a timeresolution of about 300 fs.The results demonstrate the existence of acompetition between the injection of chargesand the relaxation of the excited state in thecomplete cells

No description available.

In this dissertation, we study the optical property of 2D graded photonic super-crystals (GPSCs) for photon management. We focused primarily on manipulation and control of light by using the newly discovered GPSCs which present great opportunity for electromagnetic wave control in photonic devices. The GPSC has been used to explore the superior capability of improving the light extraction efficiency of OLEDs. The enhancement of extraction efficiency has been explained in term of destructive interference of surface plasmon resonance and out-coupling of surface plasmon through phase matching provided by GPSC and verified by e-field intensity distributions. A large light extraction efficiency up to 75% into glass substrate has been predicted through simulation. We also study the light trapping enhancement in GPSCs. Broadband, wide incident angle, and polarization independent light trapping enhancement is achieved in silicon solar cells patterned with the GPSCs. In addition, novel 2D GPSCs were fabricated using holographic lithography through the interference lithography by two sets of multiple beams arranged in a cone geometry using a spatial light modulator (SLM). Finally, we also report a fabrication of GPSCs with a super-cell size of 12a×12a by using e-beam lithography. Diffraction pattern from GPSCs reveals unique diffraction properties. In an application aspect, light emitting diode arrays can be replaced by a single light emitting diode shinning onto the diffraction pattern for a uniform fluorescence.

<div>In this thesis, we propose a model to predict the interfacial delamination in a flexible solar cell. The interface in a multilayer Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide (CIGS) flexible solar cell was studied applying the principles of fracture mechanics to a fixed-arm-peel test. </div><div>The principles of fracture mechanics ( J-integral and cohesive model) were implemented in a finite element software to compare the experimental with the numerical peeling force. A fixed-arm-peel test was used to obtain the peeling force for different peeling angles. This peel force and material properties from the CIGS solar cell were processed in several non-linear equations, so the energy required to start the delamination was obtained.The accuracy of the model was compared by fitting the experimental and numerical peeling force, which had a difference of 0.08 %. It is demonstrated that the peeling process for 90-degree could be replicated in COMSOL® software for a CIGS solar cell.</div>

This master thesis analyses the existing methods both practically and theoretically used to detect defected surface area in solar cells. Various methods were used but by using an upgraded CMOS camera without IR filter to implement the electroluminescence method, this has proven to have a very crucial impact on the results. Given the overall results and the acquired information, a procedure with a simple parameter can be setup to carry out the measurements. In addition to this a catalog was formed showing the defects occurring in mono and polycrystalline solar cells.

Tato dizertační práce je zaměřena vývoj a ověřování nových postupů přispívajících ke zvýšení účinnosti bifaciálních solárních článků založených na monokrystalickém křemíku n-typové vodivosti. Tato práce přináší nové poznatky o vylepšených výrobních procesech a postupech použitých během výroby článků v ISC Konstanz. V rámci práce byly vyrobeny solární články typu n-PERT (Passivated Emitter Rear Totally diffused) s vysokou účinností, a to pomocí standartních procesů a zařízení používaných běžně při průmyslové výrobě. Zapojení těchto průmyslových postupů a metod umožnilo ověřit možnosti výroby n-typových článků za použití téměř totožného vybavení, jaké je potřeba pro výrobu p-typových článků. Zvýšení účinnosti bylo založeno především na vylepšení jednotlivých procesních kroků. Experimenty popsané v této práci dosvědčují zlepšení procesu difúze bóru, přizpůsobení parametrů pasivační a antireflexní vrstvy nově navrženému emitoru, zlepšení procesu metalizace ve smyslu využití past neobsahujících hliník, testování tisku rozličných motivů spolu s různými sekvencemi výpalu. V rámci práce byla testována možnost zamezení jevu potenciální indukované degradace (Potential Induced Degradation – PID) pomocí vhodného složení ARC a pasivační vrstvy. Vyrobené n-typové solární články dosáhly maximální hodnoty účinnosti 20,9 %.

This thesis focuses on the study of graphene application in electronics and technology of preparation. In addition to the basic properties of graphene, the theoretical part of the work also describes the methods of its preparation, transmission, characterization and possibilities of application in electronics. The experimental part is divided into three chapters. The first chapter deals with the production of graphene by deposition from the gaseous phase, its transmission and application in the field of solar cells. The Poly(methyl methacrylate) polymer was first used for transfer of graphene, which was later replaced by Rosin due to less contamination of graphene at the end of the transmission process. The second chapter deals with the preparation of quantum dots by exfoliation in the liquid phase from graphite and its application in voltammetry. Voltammetry was utilized in this work to detect hydrogen peroxide using a gold electrode modified by quantum dots from graphene and other dichalcogens (MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, WSe2). In the last chapter, the influence of the substrate and the deposition conditions of graphene is studied by means of a plasma-reinforced phase-out of gas to growth, while the prepared graphene was characterized by imaging and spectroscopic methods. The entire experimental growth of graphene was managed and evaluated using a planned experiment.

The project considers realization system, which allows us to test six different operation modes on lifetime of accumulators. The system will be connected to computer, that will perform measurement of current and voltage and switch betwen charge and discharge modes. The measured values will be recorded in certain time intervals to computer memory. After some time these measured data will be analised and the most optimal operational mode will be set.