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I-V measurement of a solar cell?
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Asked 31st Oct, 2013
Ananth Saradhi
Self Employed
I-V measurement of a solar cell?
When I-V measurements are performed on a solar cell,
usually the light is illuminated and electrical
excitation(voltage) is also applied. However, when
deployed on the field, solar cells are subjected only to
optical excitation and electrical bias is not applied. Are
the two situations exactly the same? If not , how do we
justify using electrical excitation in the lab along with
illumination?
I-V Measurements
Solar
Cells
Solar Cells
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t recent answer
Brijesh singh yadav
11th Apr, 2020
International Advanced
Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and
New Materials
I totally agree with S. Agarwal. One more point I want to
add is that as we extract the power from solar cell and
photo-current flows in opposite to the net dark current
shift the IV curve in fourth quadrant.
Cite
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2021/10/30 上午10:09
I-V measurement of a solar cell?
ular Answers (1)
Abdelhalim abdelnaby Zekry
Ain Shams University
7th Jan, 2014
Dear Sardahi and Agrwal,
Your discussion about measuring the i-v curves of an
illuminated solar cells is fruitful and attracted me.The
question of Ananth is interesting and deserve effort to
answer it.
The solar cell is two terminal device which converts the
solar radiation into electricity.
As a source of electrical power it has a specific i-v
characteristics. All of us know the shape of the i-v curve
of a solar cell. It is a diode i-v curve shifted by a negative
photocurrent such that it lies in three quadrants. The
question now how can we measure such i-v curve.
There are different methods.
We can use constant voltage source across the
terminals of the solar cell. In this case the load line is
vertical and intersects the i-v curve in one point which is
the operating point. This means that the current will
adjust itself in the solar cell. When the applied voltage is
such that the solar cell is reverse biased, the third
quadrant is measured. When the applied voltage, one
acquires the first and the fourth quadrant. In the fourth
quadrant where the solar cell out sources electrical
power the electrical source connected to the solar cell is
said to be an active load as it sink electrical energy
getting out of the solar cell.
Only in the 4th quadrant we can use passive loads,
ohmic resistances to measure the i-v curve of the solar
cell since it is active. In the other two quadrant it is not
possible.
In conclusion, active sources can act as loads while
ohmic resistances can not be used as active
sources.The resulting i-v curve will be the same
irrespective of the load used.
My best wishes to you.
Cite
5 Recommendations
nswers (12)
https://www.researchgate.net/post/I-V_measurement_of_a_solar_cell
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2021/10/30 上午10:09
Sumanshu Agarwal
Institute of Technical
Education and Research
I-V measurement of a solar cell?
31st Oct, 2013
Electrical biasing dictates potential drop in external
circuit. Whenever solar cell operate in the field there is
an external load across the cell where potential drop
occurs. In that sense both situations seems same. Also
if we look at the characteristics of the cell obtained
using the rheostat or variable potential source both
gives same results (till open circuit potential don't know
whether true beyond that point, may not be true beyond
that point). Fundamentally I don't see any difference in
two situation (till Voc) however a deep insight is
required to say whether both situations are same or
different. I will look into the situation and will let you
know if there is any difference.
Cite
2 Recommendations
Ananth Saradhi
Self Employed
31st Oct, 2013
@Sumanshu Thank you so much.
Cite
Sumanshu Agarwal
Institute of Technical
Education and Research
31st Oct, 2013
@Ananth your Welcome
Cite
Ananth Saradhi
Self Employed
4th Nov, 2013
The potential drop across the solar cell when connected
to an external circuit is a part fo the energy that is
incident in the form of light whereas the energy supplied
by biasing a solar cell is in addition to that of the
incident light, isn't it?
Cite
Sumanshu Agarwal
Institute of Technical
Education and Research
4th Nov, 2013
It is not like that. You see the electrostatic of solar cell.
Refer to http://pveducation.org/
What we do with the biasing of solar cell after
illumination is oppose of flow of current in the direction
of electric field. So we are putting a potential and
looking what is happening at that much external
potential drop across the cell. The overall potential you
can get through a solar cell after illumination is open
circuit voltage. You apply a opposing bias say Va, then
Voc-Va is the potential drop inside the cell and Va is the
drop externally as you have applied that bias. If
externally applied bias is more than open circuit
https://www.researchgate.net/post/I-V_measurement_of_a_solar_cell
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2021/10/30 上午10:09
y pp
p
potential then actually we are injecting more carriers in
the cell as compared to which could come out of the
cell because of photogeneration. This situation causes
dissipation of power inside the cell and we get no power
out of cell while we dissipate some power. So the
I-V measurement of a solar cell?
operating point of cell is always between 0V-Voc. Mostly
solar cell operating point is maximum power point
which is roughly 80% of open circuit voltage (Voc). For
more details about the maximum power point you may
refer to site I mentioned above. This site has very basic
knowledge of pn junction solar cell. Hope this will help
you.
Sumanshu
Cite
1 Recommendation
Ananth Saradhi
Self Employed
26th Nov, 2013
@Sumanshu,
We need a Q4 capable power supply, don't we?
Cite
Sumanshu Agarwal
Institute of Technical
Education and Research
27th Nov, 2013
@Ananth,
I don't have much idea about the equipment
specification as my work is mostly theory oriented.
However I will let you know after checking the
specification of power supply in lab. For a rough I-V
characteristic a potentiometer is good to go with, but
near the Voc current falls rapidly, so one doesn't get
much points using potentiometer. You may need a
power supply which can give you much point near Voc
and should be able to measure current and voltage at
very high resolution.
Cite
1 Recommendation
Abdelhalim abdelnaby Zekry
Ain Shams University
7th Jan, 2014
Dear Sardahi and Agrwal,
Your discussion about measuring the i-v curves of an
illuminated solar cells is fruitful and attracted me.The
question of Ananth is interesting and deserve effort to
answer it.
The solar cell is two terminal device which converts the
solar radiation into electricity.
As a source of electrical power it has a specific i-v
characteristics. All of us know the shape of the i-v curve
of a solar cell. It is a diode i-v curve shifted by a negative
h t
t
h th t it li i th
d t Th
https://www.researchgate.net/post/I-V_measurement_of_a_solar_cell
4/10
2021/10/30 上午10:09
I-V measurement of a solar cell?
photocurrent such that it lies in three quadrants. The
question now how can we measure such i-v curve.
There are different methods.
We can use constant voltage source across the
terminals of the solar cell. In this case the load line is
vertical and intersects the i-v curve in one point which is
the operating point. This means that the current will
adjust itself in the solar cell. When the applied voltage is
such that the solar cell is reverse biased, the third
quadrant is measured. When the applied voltage, one
acquires the first and the fourth quadrant. In the fourth
quadrant where the solar cell out sources electrical
power the electrical source connected to the solar cell is
said to be an active load as it sink electrical energy
getting out of the solar cell.
Only in the 4th quadrant we can use passive loads,
ohmic resistances to measure the i-v curve of the solar
cell since it is active. In the other two quadrant it is not
possible.
In conclusion, active sources can act as loads while
ohmic resistances can not be used as active
sources.The resulting i-v curve will be the same
irrespective of the load used.
My best wishes to you.
Cite
5 Recommendations
Ramkumar Chandran
Excel Engineering College
27th Apr, 2014
3 conditions in PV device
1. Unbiased- Unknown Vbi in the device ( A constant
Fermi )
2. Biased (Dark)- Lowers the barrier- resulting in charge
injection--> electron easily flow from n to p followed by
recombination of that electron at the p side either at the
contact or at the bulk leading to an electron ejection at
the p-side.
*The direction of current (Id) is from P to N
3. Biased (Illumination) we are actually reducing the Vbi with applied bias and
simultaneously measuring the current,the separation of
photo generated carriers takes place till it the drift field
gets low (flat band). During the reduction of the barrier,
some electrons hops from n-to p also take place. Thats
why they used to add J Dark with J light to represent J
total (superposition).In this the Direction of current flow
is from N to P. The IV shifts down or up when
illumination.
With out the applied bias we can not find out the exact
operating point (Pmax- Max.V*I) of the device before
https://www.researchgate.net/post/I-V_measurement_of_a_solar_cell
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2021/10/30 上午10:09
operating point (Pmax Max.V I) of the device before
installing in the field.
I-V measurement of a solar cell?
.
Bias+ illumination_will help you in finding the Maximum
power point (Vocx Isc) which the device can be
operated.
Cite
1 Recommendation
Aritra Ghosh
University of Exeter
26th May, 2014
Why PV cell I-V curve represented in 1st quadrant?
Cite
Sumanshu Agarwal
Institute of Technical
Education and Research
26th May, 2014
It is just the convention that is being used. When we talk
about the solar cell we mean it is being operated in
illuminated condition and we have light characteristics.
We don't want to play with -ve current values while
talking about solar cell. So it is represented in the first
quadrant. But it is more correct and better
understandable to a layman if represented in 4th
quadrant.
Cite
2 Recommendations
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https://www.researchgate.net/post/I-V_measurement_of_a_solar_cell
6/10
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I-V measurement of a solar cell?
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t i ti
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lti
https://www.researchgate.net/post/I-V_measurement_of_a_solar_cell
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2021/10/30 上午10:09
I-V measurement of a solar cell?
figure out how to measure I-V characteristics. The multi
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I-V measurement of a solar cell?
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