Person responsible in the Centre

Rajmund Bacewicz

Objectives:

• Exchange of information on experimental and theoretical developments in the area of photovoltaics and photovoltaic materials.
• Planning new joint research activities and enhancing feed-back loop between research and technology aimed at achieving better performance of heterojunction thin film solar cells.
• Opening the possibilities to carry out some measurements in foreign laboratories for scientists and students of the Centre.

Description of the contents, the work-plan, the steps, the approach or the methodology:

The research in the field of photovoltaics encompasses thin film compound semiconductor solar cells with a stress on copper indium selenide (CuInSe2) based cells. The latter have exhibited exceptionally good photovoltaic performance and have been commercialised recently. The investigation includes characterisation of photovoltaic materials by optical methods and characterisation of solar cell structures by advanced junction techniques. There has already been established links with several West European research groups. The main aim of this work package is an intensifying co-operation with the following groups:

• Stuttgart University, Institute for Physical Electronics, Germany,
  Investigation of the defect-related metastable effects in transport, photovoltaic parameters and other opto-electronic properties of Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ devices.
• Angstrem Solar Center, Uppsala University, Sweden,
  Electrical characterization of the baseline Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ devices fabricated as a step towards upscaling technology for module production.
• Hahn-Meitner Institute, Berlin, Germany,
  Capacitance spectroscopy of CuInSe₂ - based photovoltaic devices - defect spectrum and stability.
• Sheffield Halam University, United Kingdom,
  Optical properties of electrodeposited thin film semiconductors including high bandgap materials (ZnSe and GaN).
• HASYLAB, Hamburg, Germany,
  Synchrotron radiation measurements of a local electronic and atomic structure of photovoltaic materials.

The work in progress:

• short-term (1-2 weeks) visits to the laboratories mentioned above to have measurement and seminar sessions
• visits of experts in the area of photovoltaics at our Faculty

Participation in the conferences and workshops related to the photovoltaics.

Partners involved:

1. Stuttgart University, Institute for Physical Electronics, Germany
2. Angstrem Solar Center, Uppsala University, Sweden
3. Hahn-Meitner Institute, Berlin, Germany
4. Sheffield Halam University, United Kingdom
5. HASYLAB, Hamburg, Germany (A1, E4 experimental stations)