The aim of this course is to allow the students to have hands on experience in the fabrication and characterization of solar cells in a research environment. The courses will take place in the laboratory of physics of interfaces and thin films. Various aspects of solar energy will be covered:

i) the synthesis of silicon thin films by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition and the production of solar cells based on these layers,

ii) the synthesis and characterisation of solar cells based on organic semiconductors,

iii) the detailed characterization of various materials by complementary techniques (ellipsometry, Raman, AFM…) in order to qualify various aspects of materials for solar cells,

iv) the full characterization of solar cells (single junction PIN based on a-Si:H and µc-Si:H, amorphous/c-Si heterojunctions , tandem solar cells, CIS, GaAs…). In particular dark and light J-V characteristics and spectral response will be used to understand the physics behind these various devices.

 

This course is taught in English.

Credits ECTS : 5