A five pack of flexible thin film, amorphous silicon, solar cells that are ideal for teaching the principles of solar energy collection. Use with a potentiostat system to:

• determine the open circuit potential (maximum voltage, V_max)
• determine short circuit current (maxiumum current, i_max)
• ramp the potential from zero to V_max and prepare a graph of i vs V
• multiply the i and V signals to get the  work signal
• determine i and V at maximum work, and optimal load = V/i
• repeat at different illumination levels.

The point of maximum work is the most efficient place at which to draw off energy from a solar cell at a given illumination level. Connect in series for a bigger voltage or in parallel for a larger current.

See the application note Plotting the IV Curve of a Solar Cell in EChem Software.

Read more about thin film solar cells by clicking here.

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