Matching Items (26)
Description
In-field characterization of photovoltaics is crucial to understanding performance and degradation mechanisms, subsequently improving overall reliability and lifespans. Current outdoor characterization is often limited by logistical difficulties, variable weather, and requirements to measure during peak production hours. It becomes a challenge to find a characterization technique that is affordable with a low impact on system performance while still providing useful device parameters. For added complexity, this characterization technique must have the ability to scale for implementation in large powerplant applications. This dissertation addresses some of the challenges of outdoor characterization by expanding the knowledge of a well-known indoor technique referred to as Suns-VOC. Suns-VOC provides a pseudo current-voltage curve that is free of any effects from series resistance. Device parameters can be extracted from this pseudo I-V curve, allowing for subsequent degradation analysis. This work introduces how to use Suns-VOC outdoors while normalizing results based on the different effects of environmental conditions. This technique is validated on single-cells, modules, and small arrays with accuracies capable of measuring yearly degradation. An adaptation to Suns-VOC, referred to as Suns-Voltage-Resistor (Suns-VR), is also introduced to complement the results from Suns-VOC. This work can potentially be used to provide a diagnostic tool for outdoor characterization in various applications, including residential, commercial, and industrial PV systems.
ContributorsKillam, Alexander Cameron (Author) / Bowden, Stuart G (Thesis advisor) / Goryll, Michael (Committee member) / Augusto, Andre (Committee member) / Rand, James (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Perovskite solar cells are the next generation organic-inorganic hybrid technology and have achieved remarkable efficiencies comparable to Si-based conventional solar cells. Since their inception in 2009 with an efficiency of 3.9%, they have improved tremendously over the past decade and recently demonstrated 25.2% efficiency for single-junction devices. There are a few hurdles, however, that prevent this technology from realizing their full potential, such as stability and toxicity of the perovskites. Apart from solution processing in the fabrication of perovskites, precursor composition plays a major role in determining the quality of the thin film and its general properties. This work studies novel approaches for improving the efficiency and stability of the perovskite solar cells with minimized toxicity. The effect of excess Pb on photo-degradation in MAPbI3 perovskites in an inverted device architecture was studied with a focus on improving stability and efficiency. Precursor concentration with 5% excess Pb was found to be optimal for better efficiency and stability against photo-degradation. Further improvements in efficiency were made possible through the addition of Zirconium Acetylacetonate as a secondary electron buffer layer. A concentration of 1.5mg/ml was found to be optimal for demonstrating better efficiency and stability. Partial substitution of Pb with non-toxic Sr was also studied for improving the stability of inverted devices. Using acetate-derived precursors, 10% Sr was introduced into perovskites for improvements to the stability of the device.
In another study, triple-cation perovskites with FAMACs cations were studied with doping different amounts of Phenyl Ethyl Ammonium (PEA) to induce a quasi 2D-3D structure for improved moisture stability. Doping the perovskite with 1.67% PEA was found to be best for improved morphology with fewer pinholes, which further resulted in better VOC and stability. A passivation effect for triple-cation perovskites was further proposed with the addition of a Guanidinium Iodide layer on the perovskite. Concentrations of 1mg/ml and 2mg/ml were demonstrated to be best for reducing defects and trap states and increasing the overall stability of the device.
In another study, triple-cation perovskites with FAMACs cations were studied with doping different amounts of Phenyl Ethyl Ammonium (PEA) to induce a quasi 2D-3D structure for improved moisture stability. Doping the perovskite with 1.67% PEA was found to be best for improved morphology with fewer pinholes, which further resulted in better VOC and stability. A passivation effect for triple-cation perovskites was further proposed with the addition of a Guanidinium Iodide layer on the perovskite. Concentrations of 1mg/ml and 2mg/ml were demonstrated to be best for reducing defects and trap states and increasing the overall stability of the device.
ContributorsYerramilli, Aditya (Author) / Alford, Terry (Thesis advisor) / Theodore, David (Committee member) / Chen, Yuanqing (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
This dissertation focuses on the structural and optical properties of III-V semiconductor materials. Transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy are used to study at the nanometer scale, the structural properties of defects, interfaces, and surfaces. A correlation with optical properties has been performed using cathodoluminescence.
The dissertation consists of four parts. The first part focuses on InAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in a GaInP matrix for applications into intermediate band solar cells. The CuPt ordering of the group-III elements in Ga0.5In0.5P has been found to vary during growth of InAs QDs capped with GaAs. The degree of ordering depends on the deposition time of the QDs and on the thickness of the capping layer. The results indicate that disordered GaInP occurs in the presence of excess indium at the growth front.
The second part focuses on the effects of low-angle off-axis GaN substrate orientation and growth rates on the surface morphology of Mg-doped GaN epilayers. Mg doping produces periodic steps and a tendency to cover pinholes associated with threading dislocations. With increasing miscut angle, the steps are observed to increase in height from single to double basal planes, with the coexistence of surfaces with different inclinations. The structural properties are correlated with the electronic properties of GaN epilayers, indicating step bunching reduces the p-type doping efficiency. It is also found that the slower growth rates can enhance step-flow growth and suppress step bunching.
The third part focuses on the effects of inductively-coupled plasma etching on GaN epilayers. The results show that ion energy rather than ion density plays the key role in the etching process, in terms of structural and optical properties of the GaN films. Cathodoluminescence depth-profiling indicates that the band-edge emission of etched GaN is significantly quenched.
The fourth part focuses on growth of Mg-doped GaN on trench patterns. Anisotropic growth and nonuniform acceptor incorporation in p-GaN films have been observed. The results indicate that growth along the sidewall has a faster growth rate and therefore a lower acceptor incorporation efficiency, compared to the region grown on the basal plane.
The dissertation consists of four parts. The first part focuses on InAs quantum dots (QDs) embedded in a GaInP matrix for applications into intermediate band solar cells. The CuPt ordering of the group-III elements in Ga0.5In0.5P has been found to vary during growth of InAs QDs capped with GaAs. The degree of ordering depends on the deposition time of the QDs and on the thickness of the capping layer. The results indicate that disordered GaInP occurs in the presence of excess indium at the growth front.
The second part focuses on the effects of low-angle off-axis GaN substrate orientation and growth rates on the surface morphology of Mg-doped GaN epilayers. Mg doping produces periodic steps and a tendency to cover pinholes associated with threading dislocations. With increasing miscut angle, the steps are observed to increase in height from single to double basal planes, with the coexistence of surfaces with different inclinations. The structural properties are correlated with the electronic properties of GaN epilayers, indicating step bunching reduces the p-type doping efficiency. It is also found that the slower growth rates can enhance step-flow growth and suppress step bunching.
The third part focuses on the effects of inductively-coupled plasma etching on GaN epilayers. The results show that ion energy rather than ion density plays the key role in the etching process, in terms of structural and optical properties of the GaN films. Cathodoluminescence depth-profiling indicates that the band-edge emission of etched GaN is significantly quenched.
The fourth part focuses on growth of Mg-doped GaN on trench patterns. Anisotropic growth and nonuniform acceptor incorporation in p-GaN films have been observed. The results indicate that growth along the sidewall has a faster growth rate and therefore a lower acceptor incorporation efficiency, compared to the region grown on the basal plane.
ContributorsSU, PO-YI (Author) / Ponce, Fernando A. (Thesis advisor) / Smith, David J. (Committee member) / Crozier, Peter A. (Committee member) / Zhao, Yuji (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020
Description
With renewable energy on the rise, researchers have turned their funding and their focus towards new solar cell technologies, and perovskites are a major source of interest. This class of materials is particularly interesting due to their quick, simple synthesis as well as their physical and electrical superiority when compared to current silicon-based solar cells. Through this thesis, we will explore the synthesis of various types of perovskites and their subsequent characterization, which includes optical microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, Raman microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Analyzing two different perovskites both before and after a two-week period of storage revealed that while synthesis is indeed experiment-friendly, these materials have a concerning lack of stability even in ideal conditions.
ContributorsBuzas, Benjamin Joseph (Author) / Tongay, Sefaattin (Thesis director) / Muhich, Christopher (Committee member) / Materials Science and Engineering Program (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Hyperspectral imaging is a novel technology which allows for the collection of reflectance spectra of a sample in-situ and at a distance. A rapidly developing technology, hyperspectral imaging has been of particular interest in the field of art characterization, authentication, and conservation as it avoids the pitfalls of traditional characterization techniques and allows for the rapid and wide collection of data never before possible. It is hypothesized that by combining the power of hyperspectral imaging with machine learning, a new framework for the in-situ and automated characterization and authentication of artworks can be developed. This project, using the CMYK set of inks, began the preliminary development of such a framework. It was found that hyperspectral imaging and machine learning as a combination show significant potential as an avenue for art authentication, though further progress and research is needed to match the reliability of status quo techniques.
ContributorsChowdhury, Tanzil Aziz (Author) / Newman, Nathan (Thesis director) / Tongay, Sefaattin (Committee member) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Materials Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The Barrett Honors Student, Cameron Berns, was asked to characterize a torque control solution for a myoelectric controlled prosthetic hand. The student performed several tasks above the senior design scope for the honors portion that include: experimentation to find the best torque control solution, design of a digital control system and debug board, perform idealistic characterization on the chosen torque control option, and finally research future implementation for total system identification. The experiments were a success and a crude implementation was achieved.
ContributorsBerns, Cameron Joseph (Author) / Christen Blain, Jennifer (Thesis director) / Kozicki, Michael (Committee member) / Electrical Engineering Program (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05