Difference between revisions of "Organic Photovoltaic Fabrication and Test Apparatus"
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It takes many trials to perfect the materials and techniques that make for highly efficient organic solar cells. This apparatus at University of Arizona combines a vacuum fabrication area with a inert gas glove box where prototype cells can be tested under controlled circumstance. | It takes many trials to perfect the materials and techniques that make for highly efficient organic solar cells. This apparatus at University of Arizona combines a vacuum fabrication area with a inert gas glove box where prototype cells can be tested under controlled circumstance. | ||
Revision as of 12:07, 3 September 2009
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It takes many trials to perfect the materials and techniques that make for highly efficient organic solar cells. This apparatus at University of Arizona combines a vacuum fabrication area with a inert gas glove box where prototype cells can be tested under controlled circumstance.
The most common test is to generate a voltage vs current curve by experimentally varying the level of light used to excite the cell and by continually changing the load on the cell using a variable voltage power supply (reverse polarity). First a the cell is kept in the dark and a whole series of voltages are applied while the current is measured. Then this series of measurements is repeated while the cell is illuminated. Typical measurements open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current (Isc), fill factor (FF), maximum power output of the device (Pmax), voltage at maximum power (Vmax), current at maximum power (Imax). A higher Fill Factor means that the cells is operating closer to its theoretical maximum efficiency.
See wiki article on Physics_of_Solar_Cells
<swf width="600" height="500">http://depts.washington.edu/cmditr/media/opvfab.swf</swf>