9-13 July 2012
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
<a href="http://events.saip.org.za/internalPage.py?pageId=11&confId=14"><font color=#ff0000>SAIP2012 PROCEEDINGS AVAILABLE</font></a>

Measuringcurrent – voltage characteristics of photovoltaic cells and module at various wavelengths

12 Jul 2012, 17:30
2h
IT Building

IT Building

Poster Presentation Track F - Applied Physics Poster Session

Speaker

Ms Nwabunwanne Nwokolo (University of Fort Hare, Institute of Technology)

Would you like to <br> submit a short paper <br> for the Conference <br> Proceedings (Yes / No)?

yes

Apply to be<br> consider for a student <br> &nbsp; award (Yes / No)?

yes

Main supervisor (name and email)<br>and his / her institution

Prof Edson L. Meyer, emeyer@ufh.ac.za,University of Fort Hare Alice

Level for award<br>&nbsp;(Hons, MSc, <br> &nbsp; PhD)?

MSc

Abstract content <br> &nbsp; (Max 300 words)

A Solar cell is a semiconductor device consisting of a p-n junction diode, which is capable of generating usable electricity from sunlight. Light travels in the form of an electromagnetic wave and the amount of energy contained in the photons is dependent on the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave. It becomes necessary to determine at what wavelength solar cells will generate electricity more efficiently.Traditionally, the spectral response of solar cells has been measured by indirectly measuring the current generated at various wavelengths.Normally thissuffices for single junction solar cell materials. With the production of hetero-junction solar cells the effect of spectrum is no longer a negligible parameter. Furthermore, multi-junction solar cells have very distinctive characteristics at various wavelengths. The objective of this study is therefore to measure these characteristics at various wavelengths by measuring the full I-V characteristics at wavelengths ranging from 300nm – 1200nm. For this purpose a current and voltage measurement system was designed and constructed. This system is capable of measuring currents and voltages in the micro-range and can also be used to measure dark I-V characteristics and capacitance-voltage characteristics(C-V). The final paper will present the measurement system and preliminary results of I-V, dark I-V and C-V characteristics of various photovoltaic technologies.

Primary author

Ms Nwabunwanne Nwokolo (University of Fort Hare, Institute of Technology)

Co-author

Prof. Edson Meyer (University of Fort Hare, Institute of Technology)

Presentation Materials

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