Dr. Jesús Capistrán Martínez’s presentation focused on developing local infrastructure for the characterization of solar cells at the Laboratory of Photovoltaic Innovation and Solar Cell Characterization (LIFYCS). The talk highlighted the use of open-source hardware and software technologies to optimize semiconductor research and promote accessible practices in STEM education. This initiative aligns with the photovoltaic module prototyping workshop under the APOYO LNC-2023-33 project.
A key part of the presentation was the use of the µSMU (micro Source Measurement Unit) for the electrical characterization of devices such as diodes, LEDs, and solar cells. This open-source hardware, developed by Joel Troughton, was compared to the Keithley 2400 instrument, demonstrating that despite being more accessible, it provides precise measurements for advanced research. Various I-V curve tests were performed to validate its performance, including resistance measurements and the characterization of CdS/AgSb(S,Se)2 heterojunctions, which are essential for developing emerging solar cell technologies.
In addition to the hardware, Dr. Capistrán showcased the use of Python and Jupyter Notebook as essential tools for parameter extraction in devices, including the ideality factor, saturation current, and series resistance.
The combination of these open-source technologies not only facilitates the publication of scientific results but also fosters knowledge accessibility for researchers and students.
Presentation Slides
You can download the full presentation “Lifycs 2024 – Developing Local Photovoltaic Characterization Infrastructure.” Explore the use of open-source hardware and software for solar cell research, and leave your thoughts or suggestions in the comments section of this post!
Note: Most phone and tablet browsers won’t display embedded PDF, but you can download it.
References
1. Hardware and Firmware: µSMU by Joel Troughton GitHub Repository
2. Research Methods for Parameter Extraction: A. Kaminski et al., “New method of parameters extraction from dark I-V curve,” in Conference Record of the Twenty-Sixth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, IEEE, Anaheim, CA, USA, 1997, pp. 203–206. DOI: 10.1109/PVSC.1997.654064
3. Simulation Courses: SCAPS-1D solar cell simulation course SCAPS-1D Course
4. Previous Publications: J. Capistrán-Martínez et al., “Theoretical evaluation of emerging Cd-free Cu₃BiS₃ based solar cells using experimental data of chemically deposited Cu3BiS3 thin films,” Journal of Alloys and Compounds, vol. 867, 2021, p. 159156.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2021.159156
Enjoying the content? Support the site by buying me a coffee!
