Photovoltaic Materials and Devices

Program goal

The program of the PVMD group builds up expertise in the design and in fabrication technology of solar cells and other devices based on thin semiconductor films. The current focus is on amorphous and nano-crystalline silicon films fabricated at low temperatures (< 200 °C) using CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition) techniques. The group specializes in applying advanced measurement techniques in combination with computer modeling for determination of (opto-) electronic properties, such as the density of defects, in thin layers of disordered materials. The acquired expertise is used for the optimization of thin-film silicon solar cells and for the development of novel concepts using nano-structured materials for future high-efficient solar cells. A new research field of the group is directed towards the development of electronic components on flexible plastic substrates using thin-film silicon technology. 

Research

Several research projects have been granted to PVMD group. Two research teams work on highly efficient thin-film silicon solar cells. The Thin-Film Silicon Technology team focuses on the development of stable materials and fast deposition-rate technique. The Novel Concepts team investigates the application of light management techniques in thin-film silicon solar cells. Follow this link for a detailed description of all running projects.

Facilities

The PVMD group possesses a number of advanced set-ups for the deposition of state-of-the-art thin-film silicon solar cells and thin-layers of device-quality materials. Furthermore several measurement set-ups are available for the characterization of materials and finalized solar cells. Follow this link for a detailed description. 

Education

As photovoltaic solar cells are now widely accepted in society and have been implemented successfully in the market, more and more students are interested in this field of energy conversion. The PVMD group offers B.Sc. and M.Sc. grade courses for TUDelft students. Follow this link for a detailed description.

Latest news

In this section you will find news from PVMD group are reported. Follow this link to read about our presence in conferences, our latest achievements, our group dinners, and more...