ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with an introduction to the fundamental principles which govern the structure and performance of simple p-n homo junction solar cells. It presents the structure of some other kinds of solar cells: the heterojunction cell, the Schottky barrier cell and the metal-insulator-semiconductor cell. The chapter describes the influence of the various interfaces in a solar cell on the performance of the complete devices. It considers the specific properties of some of the materials used in successful solar cells, and deals with devices based on single-crystalline silicon and gallium arsenide and introducing the structure of some single-crystal heterojunction cells. The chapter focuses on solar cells made from some very non-ideal materials such as amorphous and polycrystalline thin films. It introduces some of the more unusual techniques for depositing thin films of semiconductor materials along with a short discussion on the very complex structure, and highly non-equilibrium chemistry, of thin film cells.
