Niagara Science Museum

History of Thin- Film Solar Cellsby

Nick Dalacu

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EE at UB Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

125,000 TW of sun power Capturing 0.1% may provide abundant energy

No dramatic economic implications, if solar cost is less than 3-5 ¢/kWh

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EE at UB Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

EE at UB Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

The Societé Felix Meritis - Amsterdam, 1791 - This hand-tinted engraving (published 1801, after a 1791 sketch) shows Jan van Swinden lecturing in the Hall of Physics of the Felix Meritis Society. There is a two-plate electrostatic generator on the center table, while Leyden jars are on a table to the left.

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

In 1841, Edmund Becquerel, the son of a physicist and the father of another one, generated electricity by illuminating an electrode with different types of light, including sunlight

EE at UB Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

In 1875, American, G.R. Carey invented the phototube. The light-sensitive photo-cathode consist of a thin film. Under illumination, low work-function metals, such as cesium, will release energetic electrons from the cathode.

EE at UB. Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

In 1877, W.G. Adams and R.E. Day generated a voltage by illuminating a selenium/platinum device. This was probably a Schottky-type Se/Pt barrier.

EE at UB Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

In 1883, Charles Fritts was able to adhere a thin Se layer to a metal plate. By pressing a gold leaf to the exposed selenium surface, he prepared the first "thin-film" photovoltaic device.

EE at UB Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

Towards 1900, William Crookes improved the vacuum in discharge tubes and discovered cathode rays.

Thompson balanced magnetic deflection with an electric field and determined the charge-mass ratio for electron.

EE at UB. Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

In 1930, 50 years after Fritts, Grondahl describes the development of a copper-cuprous oxide photo cell. This is the first true thin-film cell.

EE at UB Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

Bergmann improved selenium devices in the 1930’s. These proved superior to the cuprous- oxide based devices and became the commercially dominant product.

EE at UB. Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

In 1931, Wilson proposed the transport theory in semiconductors.ln 1938, Schottky suggested that the electrostatic field created by the positive and negative ions in the depletion region produce a potential barrier.

EE at UB Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

In 1954, the PV effect in CdS was reported. The primary work was performed by Rappaport, Loferski and Jenny at RCA.

EE at UB Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

In the 1970s, CdTe-based and amorphous- silicon thin-film solar modules start the journey towards the large-scale application of photovoltaics.

EE at UB Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008

Niagara Science Museum History of Thin Film Solar Cells

Will they use PV when they will grow up?

EE at UB. Graduate Seminar Presentation November 2008