This course consists of a general presentation of solar cells based on silicon thin films. It is the third MOOC of the photovoltaic series of Ecole polytechnique on Coursera. The general aspects of the photovoltaic field are treated in "Photovoltaic Solar Energy". And the detailed description of the crystalline silicon solar cells can be found in "Physics of Silicon Solar Cells". After a brief presentation of solar cells operation, thin film semiconductors are described here. The general properties of disordered and crystalline semiconductors are found very different, in particular in terms of band structure and doping mechanisms. Silicon thin films, generally less than 1 µm thick, are deposited from silane plasma leading to hydrogen incorporation. The growth mechanisms are discussed, in particular the capability to prepare partially crystallized thin films which appear as a mixture of nanocrystallites embedded in an amorphous tissue. The consequences of the semiconductor properties on solar cells behavior are reviewed. The optical properties of amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon are complementary. Thus the plasma process is particularly well adapted to the preparation of multijunctions, with conversion efficiencies around 13-15 %. Furthermore plasma processes allow to prepare solar cells in large area on glass or flexible substrates. Finally, it is shown that crystalline and amorphous silicon materials can be combine into heterojunctions solar cells with high efficiency conversion (about 25 %). **This course is part of a series of 3** Photovoltaic solar energy (https://www.coursera.org/learn/photovoltaic-solar-energy/) Physics of silicon solar cells (https://www.coursera.org/learn/physics-silicon-solar-cells/) Silicon thin film solar cells
Learnt more knowledge about Silicon Thin film solar cells.More explanation and examples may be included in the course materials for doing numerical problems given in the Quizzes. Thank you.
استفدت منها كثيرا . اشكر كل القائمين على هذا العمل وخصوصا منصة كورسيرا
It is a nice course for beginners in si solarcells
Teachers are experts in the area and the course is understandable and useful.
Good Course. Thank you for your sharing knowledge.
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Too strong of an accent, accompanied with the really poor transcript. Took too long to do the last assignment!
Although few questions were not related to the videos , but discussion forum helped me a lot. Overall Very helpful course , especially those animations and diagrams cleared my doubts easily. Thanks to Prof. Drevillion and Prof. Johnson.
Learnt more knowledge about Silicon Thin film solar cells.
More explanation and examples may be included in the course materials for doing numerical problems given in the Quizzes. Thank you.
Instructor language was somewhat difficult to understand
Very good course, i have learnt alot about thin solar cells such as c-Si, amorphous Si, nano-Si, combining them with other types of solar cell such as germanium-based solar cells to make multi-junction solar cells to improve their efficiencies. Furthermore, i have learnt about transparent conductive layer as well as the advantages and drawbacks of the different types of solar cell materials.
The insights provided by this course on photovoltaics is really great. The numericals dealt with in this course are very timely and appropriate. Looking forward to more courses from ECOLE Polytechnique.
Both of the teachers are very conceptual,and ones can easily learn this course by giving some extra time.Thanks to the teaching staff and the team of coursera.
Pr.Bernard was excellent,very clear and was to the point .it was very useful and interesting .
Teachers are experts in the area and the course is understandable and useful.
استفدت منها كثيرا . اشكر كل القائمين على هذا العمل وخصوصا منصة كورسيرا
Good. Some of the question in the quiz is not really clear but ok
Good Course. Thank you for your sharing knowledge.
Well prepared & structured
Good Learning
Excellent
ok
Very good course to get insight into the solar cells working however, more quiz questions can be given for practice, I have completed other courses also from Ecole Polytechnique, they have the best explanation and course material, looking forward for more such courses. Thanks, Coursera for bringing these courses on the platform.
In-depth lectures and great demonstration but requires some knowledge in advance. The annexes and quizzes are helpful. The transcript sometimes do not match the intended content. For instance: TCO layer --> tissue layer.
I think it would be better if materials such as how chemical elements/compounds are analyzed and selected for modeling more advanced PV cells. and advises on how can us student get into PV research.
Thank you.
the content is good for me to get more knowledge of solar cell, however, the assignment tests are quite tough sometimes