In this Presentation, We shall reported the physical principle of losses in thin-film solar cell

1. VARIOUS TYPES OF LOSSES
IN THIN FILM SOLAR CELL
PRESENTED BY
VIKAS KUMAR RAJPUT
M.Phil. (Physics)
1Vikas Kumar Rajput
LOSSES IN THIN FILM SOLAR CELL PPT - 2

2. CONTENTS
 What is Solar Cell ?
 Generations
 Types
 Efficiency
 Advantages
 Losses in Thin Film Solar Cell
2Vikas Kumar Rajput
LOSSES IN THIN FILM SOLAR CELL PPT - 2

3. SOLAR CELL
 Solar cell is a device that converts the light
energy into electrical energy based on the
principles of photovoltaic effect.
Photovoltaic (PV) Effect:
Electricity can be produced from sunlight
through a process called the PV effect, where
“photo” refers to light and “voltaic” to voltage
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4. GENERATIONS
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1stgen
• Silicon
based pv
cell
• High cost
& Max
Efficiency
2ndgen
• CIGS,
CdTe,
GaAr
• Low cost
& less
Efficiency
3rdgen
• Polymer
based,
organic
pv cell
• Low cost
& high
Efficiency

5. Thin Film Solar Cell
 A Thin Film Solar Cell (TFSC) is a second
generation solar cell that is made by
depositing one or more thin layer, or thin film
(TF) of photovoltaic material on a substrate ,
such as glass , plastic or metal.
 Film thickness varies from a few nanometers
(nm) to tens of micrometers (µm), much
thinner than thin-film's rival technology.
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LOSSES IN THIN FILM SOLAR CELL PPT 2

6. Picture of TFSC
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7. Types of TFSC
Thin-film Silicon (TF-Si)
Cadmium Telluride (CdTe)
Copper Indium Gallium De Selenide (CIS or
CIGS)
Gallium Arsenide (GaAs)
Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC)
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LOSSES IN THIN FILM SOLAR CELL PPT 2

8. Advantages Of TFSC
 Low cost
 Easily Transported
 Flexibility
 Easy to Install
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9. Efficiency
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Type of solar cell IN Field IN Laboratory
CIGS 18.70% 23.35%
GaAs 28.80% 38.80%
CdTe 16.90 22.10%
a-Si 11.10% 14.20%

10. Losses In TFSC
 Optical Loss
 Collection Loss
 Resistance Loss
 Metal/semiconductor contacts
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11. Optical Loss
Optical losses are due to
• Non-absorption
• Thermalization
• Reflection
• Transmission and area loss.
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LOSSES IN THIN FILM SOLAR CELL PPT 2

12. NON ABSORPTION
• In solar cells, photons with energy lower than
the band gap energy of the absorbing material
are transmitted Thus, the energy of the photons
having energy lower than the band gap energy
is lost due to the non-absorption by the
absorbing material. Thus, Eph (energy of
incident photon)<Eg (band gap energy) is not
absorbed
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13. Thermalisation
• When EPh > EG, Thermalization occurs, it
applies for photons which have energy
higher than the band gap. The excess
energy is dissipated a sheat. This heat
increases the temperature of solar cell.
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14. Reflection Loss
• This occurs due to blocking of the light
by top contact, reflection from the top
surface and reflection from the back
contact without proper absorption
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15. Transmission & Area Loss
• This is due to the finite thickness of
cell and the effect is enhanced in
materials having low absorption
coefficient.
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16. Collection Loss
• These losses are due to surface and bulk
recombination at metal or semiconductor
contact and recombination in depletion
region.
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17. Resistance Loss
• Series resistance is due to the bulk resistance
of semiconductor, bulk resistance of metal
electrodes and due to the contact resistance
between semiconductor and metal. Series
resistance can be controlled by careful design
of the top contact and emitter resistance.
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18. Metal/semiconductor contacts
• Metal/semiconductor contacts on the front and
back surface of a solar cell cause losses. The
front contact is thin grid lines and back contact
is a metallic coating. Reduction of resistance
of the metal/semiconductor contact is one of
the major means to decrease the power losses
for cell.
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19. Thank you
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