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Photovoltaic cells provide clean, reversible electrical power from the sun. Made from semiconductors, they are durable, silent in operation and free of polluting emissions. In this book, experts from all sectors of the PV community - materials scientists, physicists, production engineers, economists and environmentalists - give their critical appraisals of where the technology is now and what its prospects are.

Two sample chapters - (a) Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells and (b) Photovoltaic Modules, Systems and Applications are now available online. ... Read more

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This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the physics of the photovoltaic cell. It is suitable for undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers new to the field. It covers: basic physics of semiconductors in photovoltaic devices; physical models of solar cell operation; characteristics and design of common types of solar cell; and approaches to increasing solar cell efficiency. The text explains the terms and concepts of solar cell device physics and shows the reader how to formulate and solve relevant physical problems. Exercises and worked solutions are included.

Contents: Photons In, Electrons Out: Basic Principles of PV; Electrons and Holes in Semiconductors; Generation and Recombination; Junctions; Analysis of the p n Junction; Monocrystalline Solar Cells; Thin Film Solar Cells; Managing Light; Over the Limit: Strategies for Higher Efficiency. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Well balanced between theory and practice
This book is an introductory textbook on photovoltaic devices and the underlying physics. Prerequisites are not mentioned by the author. In my opinion, the book is not self-contained, as it requires prior exposure to solid state physics and mathematics (e.g. Bloch's theorem, bra-ket notation, partial differential equations). Although there is a section on band theory, I would recommend other condensed matter textbooks for a rigorous derivation. In terms of device physics, it would be helpful if the reader already has some knowledge at the level of, say, "Solid State Electronic Devices" by Streetman and Banerjee. In terms of quantum physics, the level of "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by Griffiths and some understanding of the Shockley-Queisser detailed balance theory should suffice.

This is NOT a book on the manufacturing of solar cell modules with all the industrial optimization processes, or thin film deposition techniques. It focuses on the phenomenological behavior of photovoltaic devices, from conventional single crystal silicon to thin film solar cells, and their pros and cons. It concludes with the final chapter on modern research ideas for higher efficiency, leaving the detailed discussion to further reading.

To be really picky, some of the figures look as if they were drawn in Paint (e.g. shaky curves), and there are a few typographical errors. Nonetheless, these imperfections do not impair comprehension.

Excellent book
I am a newcomer to the field of photovoltaics and was looking for a book simple to understand but robust in content that would convey the fundamental concepts effectively. So far I am halfway through the book, reading during my coffee breaks and before bedtime and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I came to choose this book not by anyone's recommendation or referral but by the affordability and judging the table of content and few sample pages. Most of the other books in this area are so expensive, you have to sort of gamble a hefty amount of money to gain a very little perspective on the nature and scope of the field of photovoltaics. This book so far seems to be very good except there are some countable number of typos that sort of distract during the reading.

great solar cell book
This is a great book for senior undergrads and graduate students.It focuses on other solar cell materials besides Silicon.It was a great reference for teaching material and I referenced it in my PhD thesis.I recommend this book in addition to Martin Green's Solar Cell book (standard undergrad solar cell reference book.)

Physics of Solar Cells
Good book if you are interested in Solar Energy.
Kind of hard material to understand I thought.

very good book.
I feel this is a very good book for advanced undergraduates
and graduate students interested in the physics of solar cells.It
is not a beginner book, as some background is expected.

Solid state physics is difficult and complicated.There are a lot
of different things going on at the same time, and I feel it's good to
get explanations from several different authors viewpoints.I have
several books now on the subject, but I find myself looking at
this one more than the others.I think the author fills in a lot of
details missing in other texts. ... Read more

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This is a new printing of a popular text, previously published by Prentice Hall in 1994, offering a thorough introduction to the underlying physics of semiconductor devices. It begins with a review of basic solid state physics, then goes on to describe the properties of semiconductors (energy bands, the concept of effective mass, carrier concentration and conduction) in more detail. Chapters 5 & 6 are concerned with the principles of operation of the Gunn Diode and the p-n junction. The remaining chapters focus on specific devices, including the LED, the bipolar transistor, the field-effect transistor and the semiconductor laser. The book concludes with a chapter providing a brief introduction to quantum theory.

The book has been specifically written with a view to assisting undergraduates in the first year of their electronic engineering or applied physics degree course. It is not overly mathematical, and places emphasis on only the required physical concepts. Each chapter contains a set of worked problems. ... Read more

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This book provides an introduction to the classical, quantum and symmetry aspects of multipole theory, demonstrating the successes of the theory and also its unphysical aspects.It presents a transformation theory, which removes these unphysical properties.The book will be of interest to physics students wishing to advance their knowledge of multipole theory, and also a useful reference work for molecular and optical physicists, theoretical chemists working on multipole effects, solid state physicists studying the effects of electromagnetic fields on condensed matter, engineers and applied mathematicians with interests in anisotrpoic materials.An interesting recent development has been the increasing use of computer calculations in applications of multipole theory.The book should assist computational physicists and chemists wishing to work in this area to acquire the necessary background in multipole theory. ... Read more

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Electrons in solids behave like microscopic bar magnets, and in certain solids these align to produce macroscopic magnetizations. This book deals with the dynamics of this magnetization field. It addresses questions of microscopic mechanism only to the extent that residual interactions of the magnetic moments with other degrees of freedom of the host solid affect the dynamics, particularly the dissipative aspects. Several of these damping mechanisms are evaluated here for their effect on the equations of the magnetization dynamics. This dynamics is intrinsically nonlinear. This is important in the applications, particularly magnetic recording, which involves very large motion of the magnetization, well beyond the validity of linearized (small motion) approximations or limited extensions thereof. Therefore nonlinear solution methods are emphasized, but with only minimal use of numerical simulation. The book should be useful to practitioners of magnetic recording, and to physicists studying magnetic phenomena. ... Read more

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This book presents a complete encyclopedia of superconducting fluctuations, summarizing the last thirty-five years of work in the field. The first part of the book is devoted to an extended discussion of the Ginzburg-Landau phenomenology of fluctuations in its thermodynamical and time-dependent versions and its various applications. The second part deals with microscopic justification of the Ginzburg-Landau approach and presents the diagrammatic theory of fluctuations. The third part is devoted to a less-detailed review of the manifestation of fluctuations in observables: diamagnetism, magnetoconductivity, various tunneling characteristics, thermoelectricity, and NMR relaxation. The final chapters turn to the manifestation of fluctuations in unconventional superconducting systems: nanodrops,nanorings, Berezinsky-Kosterlitz-Thouless state, quantum phase transition between superconductor and insulator, and thermal and quantum fluctuations in weak superconducting systems. The book ends with a brief discussion on theories of high temperature superconductivity, where fluctuations appear as the possible protagonist of this exciting phenomenon. ... Read more

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This is the first textbook to outline all the key concepts concerning the description and applications of new semiconductor microstructures such as quantum wells, superlattices, and hetrojunctional microdevices.These microstructures will provide a basis for new technologies in electronics and optical communication and are, therefore, of interest to both academic and industrial researchers. Accessible and thorough, this book assumes minimal background knowledge, and is suitable for undergraduates and first year graduates in electronics, materials science and physics, as well as those from other areas who wish to become familiar with the basic facts of this new field. Additionally, this title includes 80 sample problems with solutions. ... Read more

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What makes lights blink on and refrigerators hum? Learn how electricity goes from the power plant to you home. See what happens when a bolt of lightning sends things awry in this story of electricity. ... Read more

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"An excellent volume which documents the latest thinking and future trends in physics research....The interdisciplinary nature of the material will make this book valuable to both veteran researchers and those new to the field." Physics in Canada

Edited by Nobel Prize winner A.M. Prokhorov, these incisive essays review free-electron lasers and microwave generators in plasma physics, relativistic beam physics, radiation physics, and energy physics, as well as particle accelerators and synchrotron radiation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Free Electron Lasers;Microwave; Relativistic Beam Physics
RESEARCH TRENDS in PHYSICS ( V. Stefan ,Series Editor) Physics in Canada Vol.49,No5, p393;November 1993. La Physique au Canada,Novembre1993. Edited by Nobel Laureate, A.M. Prokhorov of the Russian Academy of Sciences, thisbook is based on an invited Symposium organized by the La JollaInternational School of Physics, Inst. for Advanced Physics Studies, LaJolla, California, in February, 1991. It covers theoretical, experimental,and technological problems addressed by prominent researchers from aroundthe world. Contributors in the series - all of whom were invited - wereencouraged by the organizers to go beyond the narrow confines of their workand reflective broader issues. This is reflected in the incisive essayswhich review critical issues, critique the field's status, and point theway toward new avenues and trends in research. V. Stefan of the Institutefor Advanced Physics Studies, who is the series editor, has put together anexcellent volume which documents the latest thinking and future trends inresearch. The topic covered in these essays are free electron lasers,microwave generators, relativistic beam physics, radiation and energyphysics, as well as accelerators and synchrotron radiation physics.Fromthe material presented in this volume, it is clear that the goal set by thesymposium in this volume was met. The symposium brought together some ofthe most prominent researchers from around the world. Their discussionindicate the status of some of the areas covered and the future trend inthese fields. The interdisciplinary nature of the material will make thisbook valuable to both veteran researchers and those new to the field. ... Read more

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This is a textbook on quantum magnetism and on modern techniques in strongly correlated electron systems. It explains concepts and techniques that are useful in widely diverse areas such as quantum spin systems, the fractional quantum Hall effect, superfluidity, and high-temperature superconductivity.The book starts with interactions between electrons and spin exchange; the Heisenberg and t-J models are derived from the Hubbard model, and itinerant magnetism is presented as a variational theory. Superconductivity and charge ordering in the negative-U Hubbard model are described by pseudospins.The Heisenberg model is used to elucidate general concepts such as spontaneous symmetry breaking, Goldstone modes and spin waves, thermal and quantum disorder in low dimensions, Haldane's gap.The text emphasizes nonperturbative approaches: ground state theorems, variational wavefunctions, parent Hamiltonians, single mode excitations, the spin path integral and its large-S expansion, Haldane's mapping, Polyakov's weak-coupling renormalization, large-N expansions for constrained systems, and the semiclassical theory of the t-J model. Mathematical derivations are self contained.Appendices provide standard many-body tools including second quantization, Grassmann variables, generating functionals, linear response, correlation functions, Fermi and Bose coherent-states path integrals, Matsubara representation, and the method of steepest descents. There are guided bibliographies and exercises at the end of chapters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

good magnetism starting point
I have to be honest and say that I have to spend time with this book to understand everything, but I think this is one of those books that's worth the effort. AFTER a many body class this book is an appropriate way to foray into magnetism. The first thing i'd do is prove eq 2.9 and read chapters 1-3, just read (having some companion text for this 'easier' material is useful here). Once you are beyond chapter 3 you can start to calculate the results yourself. Auerbach talks about the ferro- and antiferro- magnets and different spin representations, RVBs, order and disoder, etc. There is a discussion of the NLsM and some large-N methods. I found it helpful to pull out original references at times. At the end i think you gain perspective on quantitative tools employed in magnetism, but realise also that this book is a text and therefore an introduction to the field. In that sense, i think the point here is to get some basic principle and learn various methods to go apply to new problems. I dont know any other book like it. ... Read more

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These notes are designed as a text book for a course on the Modern Physics Theory for undergraduate students. The purpose is providing a rigorous and self-contained presentation of the simplest theoretical framework using elementary mathematical tools. A number of examples of relevant applications and an appropriate list of exercises and answered questions are also given.

The first part is devoted to Special Relativity, concerning in particular space-time relativity and relativistic kinematics.

The second part deals with Schroedinger's formulation of quantum mechanics. The presentation concerns mainly one dimensional problems, in particular tunnel effect, discrete energy levels and band spectra. The three dimensional Schroedinger equation is discussed in the case of a cubic box and in that of central potentials; in particular we give some details on the harmonic oscillator, the spherical box and the Coulomb potential.

The third part concerns the application of Gibbs statistical methods to quantum systems and in particular to Bose and Fermi gasses.

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Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent if you only need this part of the volume
The item was very helpful.It is only the first part of the whole edition: The electricity part, so if you are looking only for a part of the whole, this version will be the best option for you. Includes everything from practice problems and equations to answers on the back. ... Read more

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An in-depth, up-to-date presentation of the physics and operational principles of all modern semiconductor devices

The companion volume to Dr. Sze's classic Physics of Semiconductor Devices, Modern Semiconductor Device Physics covers all the significant advances in the field over the past decade. To provide the most authoritative, state-of-the-art information on this rapidly developing technology, Dr. Sze has gathered the contributions of world-renowned experts in each area. Principal topics include bipolar transistors, compound-semiconductor field-effect-transistors, MOSFET and related devices, power devices, quantum-effect and hot-electron devices, active microwave diodes, high-speed photonic devices, and solar cells.

Supported by hundreds of illustrations and references and a problem set at the end of each chapter, Modern Semiconductor Device Physics is the essential text/reference for electrical engineers, physicists, material scientists, and graduate students actively working in microelectronics and related fields. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

One of the BEST BOOKS
This books is realy one of the best books that I had read, before I find it hard to figure out if how a device works. Now, because of this book, I understand how semiconductors do work and their properties. ... Read more

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The 1960 Harper Torchbooks trade paperback reissue of the 1951 Thomas Nelson Edition. A basic resource in the history of science, categories mathematical physics / electrical physics. ... Read more

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The series looks at areas of science through practical projects and experiments. Each chapter starts with a do-it-yourself step-by-step example, and is followed by a number of fun and 'magic' experiments. This book first asks the question 'what is a electricty?' and considers mains and battery power and introduces simple circuits and components. The text combines statements and questions in such a way that develops a child's understanding of science as well as the language related to it. It also builds confidence by helping children appreciate the science they already know. Simple experiments are also included in the text and exercises introduced which promote skills in sorting and handling data. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Don't Buy This Book !
This book is NOT a Physics C review.It is nothing but multiple choice questions, and only one of it's "tests" is in the 35 question format of the AP exam.Only the answers are provided, no explanations.About 70% of the book is material not even covered on ANY Physics C exam, like atomic and thermodynamic stuff.This is more a physics B test question bank, and should be advertised as such. ... Read more

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Exposes readers to device principles and recent developments and offers a thorough grounding in the physical principles of semiconductors. Covers electronic structure of ideal crystals, and electronic system in thermodynamic equilibrium. ... Read more