Silicon-based solar cells Characteristics and production processes ...

Silicon-based solar cells – characteristics and production processes
as creating connections between science and economy, which will serve the creation
of the society and economy based on knowledge.
The classes taught within the project were divided into two types: theoretical
lectures and practical laboratory workshops.
The following issues were discussed during the theoretical lectures:
• Photovoltaic solar cells.
• Quantitative and qualitative characteristics of solar energy.
• Photovoltaic effect in the p-n junction.
• Materials used in photovoltaics.
• Construction of a typical solar cell.
• Technologies applied in photovoltaic cell production.
• Photovoltaic cell parameters and their measurement methods.
• Achievements of the Polish science in the field of photovoltaic cells.
• Research project realized by the Photoviltaics Laboratory at the Polish
Academy of Sciences.
• Future of photovoltaics in Poland and in the world.
The topics discussed during the practical classes were as follows:
• Chemical preparation of silicon plates.
• High-temperature p-n junction formation process.
• Edges etching (Elimination of electrical short circuit from the cell’s edges. )
• Deposition of an antireflection layer.
• Deposition of the cell’s metallic contacts by screen printing.
• Measurements of the current-voltage and spectral characteristics of the
produced cells.
The classes were held twice a month during the 2010/2011 academic year. The
total training-workshop cycle for one training group equaled 60 didactic hours. The
number of participants in each semester was 20. In total, the trainings and workshops
were attended by 60 persons.
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