General Introduction to Photovoltaic Devices

This lecture provides an in-depth understanding of how photovoltaic devices work, including solar irradiance, solar spectrum, air mass, solar chart, and annual horizontal irradiation. It covers the basics of the sun and energy, solar resource maps, direct normal irradiation, and the fundamentals of PV technology. The lecture also discusses the history of photovoltaic energy, ideal solar cells, extraction of current, and the basics of solar cell design. Furthermore, it explores grid integration, inverters, MPPT trackers, and the performance limits of PV technologies, such as efficiency limits and spectral response. The lecture concludes with a discussion on the spectral response, EQE, IQE, and the features of solar cells.