Technical Program

Area 1: Fundamentals and New Concepts for Future Technologies

Chair:      Seth Hubbard, Rochester Institute of Technology, USA
Co-Chairs: Jessica Adams, MicroLink Devices, USA
Gavin Connibeer, University of New South Wales, Australia
Antonio Marti, Univeridad Politecnica de Madrid, Spain
Peichen Yu, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan

Area Description
Paradigm shifts in solar cell technology are invariably preceded by breakthroughs arising from basic scientific research. In recent years, there have been a number of exciting results in the fundamental arena, including the demonstration of two-photon absorption processes in nanostructured solar cell devices, and sophisticated optical management designs resulting in world record single-junction and dual-junction cell efficiencies. Area 1 comprises fundamental research and novel device concepts that will provide a platform for the development of future photovoltaic technologies. Papers are sought describing research in basic physical, chemical and optical phenomena, in addition to studies of new materials and innovative device designs. Subjects of particular interest include, but are not limited to, nanostructures, hybrid organic-inorganic devices, advanced optical management approaches, new materials and synthesis processes, and unconventional conversion mechanisms.

Sub-Area 1.1: Fundamental Conversion Mechanisms
Sub-Area 1.2: Quantum-well, Wire, and Dot-Architectured Devices
Sub-Area 1.3: Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Solar Cells
Sub-Area 1.4: Advanced Light Management and Spectral Shaping
Sub-Area 1.5: Novel Material Systems
Sub-Area 1.6: Joint topic to Areas 1, 3, 4 and 7 on Technologies for Deposition of III-V Materials on Silicon and other Low-Cost Alternative Substrates
Sub-Area 1.7: Joint topic to Areas 1,3,7 and 9 on Mobile Solar Power/ High Efficiency Flexible lightweight PV
Sub-­Area 1.8: Joint Topic to Areas 1, 3, 7 and 8 on Characterization of Single Crystalline Photovoltaic Materials and Devices

For more information about this area please see the full call for paper (PDF)

---

Area 2: Chalcogenide Thin Film Solar Cells

Chair: Sylvain Marsillac, Old Dominion University, USA
Co-Chairs: William Shafarman, Institute of Energy Conversion, USA
Charlotte Platzer-Björkman, Uppsala University, Sweden
Takashi Minemoto, Ritsumeikan University, Japan

Area description
Area 2 of the 42nd IEEE PVSC continues a long tradition of meetings that focus on the science and technology of thin film solar cells based on chalcogenide materials. We invite contributions discussing solar cells based on Cu(InGa)Se2, Cu2ZnSn(Se)4, CdTe, and related materials. These materials include the highest efficiency thin film solar cells, now over 21%. The aim of Area 2 is to provide a platform for presenting recent and on-going research leading to improved understanding of materials and devices, exploring new directions for more efficient production, and narrowing the gap between cell and module efficiencies. Topics range from novel insights into the basic material science, study of device properties and new device structures, and discussion of the progress in deposition methods and growth control. We are looking forward to an exciting conference with fruitful discussions.

Sub-Area 2.1: Absorber Preparation and Material Properties
Sub-Area 2.2: Contacts, Buffers, Substrates and Interfaces
Sub-Area 2.3: Device Characterization and Modeling
Sub-Area 2.4: Manufacturing Progress
Sub-­Area 2.5: Joint Topic to Areas 2, 5, 6 and 8 on Characterization of Polycrystalline or Amorphous Thin Film Photovoltaic Materials

For more information about this area please see the full call for paper (PDF)

---

Area 3: III-V Solar Cells and Concentrator Photovoltaics

Area Chair: Paul Sharps, Emcore Photovoltaics, USA
Co-Chairs: Frank Dimroth, Fraunhofer ISE, Germany
Masakazu Sugiyama, University of Tokyo, Japan

Area Description
Area 3 will focus on both III-V solar cells and concentrator photovoltaics. Multi-junction solar cells made from III-V compound semiconductor materials have achieved the highest conversion efficiency of any photovoltaic device. III-V solar cells with efficiencies in excess of 45 % under concentrated sunlight have been demonstrated, and have been incorporated into commercially available concentrator photovoltaic modules. Area 3 covers the science and engineering of III-V single- and multi-junction solar cells, from theoretical modeling to growth related issues, material characterization, photon management, device processing and solar cell reliability. Materials science is the basis for continuous improvements in the understanding and further development of III-V solar cell structures. Novel device designs for achieving high conversion efficiency are also considered. Growth of crystalline and poly-crystalline III-V materials on silicon and on substrates "beyond silicon", such as engineered metal foils and polycrystalline templates, are solicited. The cost of III-V devices has prevented their widespread use in terrestrial applications, despite their high conversion efficiency. Papers addressing the cost of III-V devices and work being done to reduce cost while maintaining performance are particularly welcome. 

In addition, Area 3 will also provide a venue for concentrator photovoltaics, both for high, medium, and low concentration devices and systems. Area 3 covers all aspects of concentrator photovoltaics (CPV) system development including primary and secondary optics, solar cell receivers, module components, trackers, modules and CPV power plants. Reliability is an important aspect for this growing industry as well as market development, financing, power prediction, industry standards, balance of systems (BOS) and installation-related issues. Combined heat and power systems and new applications of CPV in buildings, rural electrification or for the production of hydrogen or methane are highly welcome.

Sub-Area 3.1: III-V Solar Cells – Modeling, Epitaxial Growth, Materials, Processing, Reliability
Sub-Area 3.2: Lower Cost III-V Solar Cell Devices
Sub-Area 3.3: High Concentration PV – Solar Cells, Receivers, Optics, Modules, and Systems
Sub-Area 3.4: Low and medium concentration PV – Si Concentrator Cells, Modules and System components
Sub-Area 3.5: Joint topic to Areas 1,3,7 and 9 on Mobile Solar Power/ High Efficiency Flexible lightweight PV
Sub-Area 3.6: Joint topic to Areas 1, 3, 4 and 7 on Technologies for Deposition of III-V Materials on Silicon and other Low-Cost Alternative Substrates
Sub-­Area 3.7: Joint Topic to Areas 1, 3, 7 and 8 on Characterization of Single Crystalline Photovoltaic Materials and Devices

For more information about this area please see the full call for paper (PDF)

---

Area 4: Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics

Chair: Mariana Bertoni, Arizona State University, USA
Co-Chairs: Stefan Glunz, Fraunhofer ISE, Germany
Ivan Gordon, IMEC, Belgium

Area Description
Crystalline silicon photovoltaicsis the dominating solar cell technology with a market share of around 85%. Silicon is non-toxic and abundantly available in the earth crust and silicon PV modules have shown their long-term stability over decades of testing on the field. The price reduction of silicon modules in the last 30 years can be described very well by a learning factor of 20% and this positive trend continues to go on. Due to the strong competition, this price decline was even stronger in the last years resulting in module pricesfalling well below $1/Wp. This is an excellent situation for customers and PV installers but rather challenging for producers of silicon solar cells and modules. Thus, cost reduction is still a major task. The cost distribution of a crystalline silicon PV module is clearly dominated by material costs, especially by the costs of the silicon wafer. Aside from improved production technology, the efficiency of the cells and modules is the main leverage to bring down cost even more. Area 4 of the 42ndIEEE PVSC invites contributions reporting on all aspects of crystalline silicon technology, from fundamentals and device physics to processing and module integration.

Sub-Area 4.1: Silicon Material: Technology and Analysis
Sub-Area 4.2: Junction Formation
Sub-Area 4.3: Surface Passivation and Light-trapping
Sub-Area 4.4: Contact Formation and Module Integration
Sub-Area 4.5: Device Physics and Analysis
Sub-Area 4.6: Joint topic to Areas 1, 3, 4 and 7 on Technologies for Deposition of III-V Materials on Silicon and other Low-Cost Alternative Substrates
s

For more information about this area please see the full call for paper (PDF)

---

Area 5: Thin film silicon based PV technologies

Chair: Arno Smets, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands
Co-Chair: Nikolas Podraza, University of Toledo, USA
Franz-Josef Haug, EPFL, Switzerland

Area Description
Thin-film silicon covers a class of materials that ranges from amorphous silicon and its group-IV alloys, over nano- and microcrystalline silicon, silicon-oxides and -carbides, to thin-films of crystalline silicon. Research and development in this active area addresses fundamental concepts of material quality, recent insight into light induced degradation, and passivation of internal interfaces and heterojunctions. This area will also be a forum to discuss innovative cell architectures with multiple junctions and the application of mature concepts in large area industrial production. In addition, papers are welcomed that cover novel concepts or applications like thin-film silicon based PV/photoelectrochemical devices.

Sub-Area 5.1: Amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon
Sub-Area 5.2: Thin crystalline silicon-films
Sub-Area 5.3: Light management
Sub-Area 5.4: Manufacturing
Sub-­Area 5.5: Joint Topic to Areas 2, 5, 6 and 8 on Characterization of Polycrystalline or Amorphous Thin Film Photovoltaic Materials and Device

For more information about this area please see the full call for paper (PDF)

---

Area 6: Organic, Perovskite, and Hybrid Solar Cells

Chair: Woojun Yoon, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, USA
Co-Chairs: Moritz Riede, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
 Nam-Gyu Park, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea

Area Description
This focus area of the 42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC-42) covers the latest scientific and technical progress of organic, perovskite, and hybrid solar cells. These emerging materials based photovoltaic (PV) technologies have shown an incredible progress in the past years. As consequence, also the title and the subject of Area 6 are updated to reflect recent developments. Solar cell efficiencies have rocketed to well above 15% and extrapolated lifetimes have reached more than 10 years for some of these technologies. Based on abundant materials and scalable coating technologies, these emerging PV technologies show potential for low-cost, lightweight, and flexible solar power generation on a large scale. Based on these prospects, many companies around the world are putting considerable efforts towards their commercialization. This kind of solar cells – a prime example of interdisciplinary research drawing together expertise from chemistry, materials, physics, and engineering – will soon have to prove its viability in the market.

Despite this remarkable progress, much of the underlying physical processes and their limitations have yet to be better understood. Similarly, scale-up in manufacturing volume has proven challenging for fast progress towards commercialization. The goal of this focus area is to address these issues, ranging from fundamental science to technological advances in the highly interdisciplinary subareas outlined below. Furthermore, Area 6 will offer a unique possibility to strengthen interactions and integration between researchers from these emerging PV technologies and the greater PV community, something everyone will benefit from. These goals will be supported by a set of tutorials on the first day of the conference.

Sub-Area 6.1: Organic Solar Cells
Sub-Area 6.2: Perovskite Solar Cells
Sub-Area 6.3: Hybrid Solar Cells
Sub-Area 6.4: Device Stability
Sub-Area 6.5: Scale-Up and Applications
Sub-­Area 6.6: Joint Topic to Areas 2, 5, 6 and 8 on Characterization of Polycrystalline or Amorphous Thin Film Photovoltaic Materials and Devices

For more information about this area please see the full call for paper (PDF)

---

Area 7: Space Technologies

Chair: David Wilt, Air Force Research Laboratory, USA
Co-Chairs: Claus Zimmerman, EADS Astrium, Germany
Mitsuru Imaizumi, JAXA, Japan

Area Description
Area 7 seeks papers related to space photovoltaics including: fundamental cell and material technologies, panel/blanket technologies, array technologies andon-orbit flight performance.Virtually all spacecraft are powered by PV generators and thus advances in space PV technologies contribute significantly to improvement of spacecraft performance. In addition, failures of space power systems are among the largest contributors of on-orbit anomalies, costing an estimated $9 billion dollars between 1990 and 2013. The failures in space power systems are frequently due to components other than the solar cells, thus we are particularly interested in papers that cover other important space PV technologies, such as solar cell interconnects, electrostatic discharge control technologies, panel and blanket materials technologies, contamination control approaches, novel rigid and flexible planar solar array technologies as well as advances in space solar concentrator array technologies. We highly encourage contributions, particularly from students who are working in relevant research areas. We invite your papers on any subjects related to space PV described above, and look forward to your contribution!

Sub-Area 7.1: Development of advanced solar cells, including radiation effects
Sub-Area 7.2: Development of advanced solar panel and blanket technology
Sub-Area 7.3: Development of advanced solar arrays and structures
Sub-Area 7.4: Flight experience of space photovoltaic power systems
Sub-Area 7.5 : Joint topic to Areas 1,3,7 and 9 on Mobile Solar Power/ High Efficiency Flexible lightweight PV
Sub-Area 7.6: Joint topic to Areas 1, 3, 4 and 7 on Technologies for Deposition of III-V Materials on Silicon and other Low-Cost Alternative
Sub-­Area 7.7: Joint Topic to Areas 1, 3, 7and 8 on Characterization of Single Crystalline Photovoltaic Materials and Devices

For more information about this area please see the full call for paper (PDF)

---

Area 8: Characterization Methods

Chair: Angus Rockett, University of Illinois, USA
Co-Chairs: Keith Emery, National Renewable Energy Lab, USA
Thorsten Trupke, University of New South Wales, Australia

Area Description
It is impossible to understand innovation in science without considering the support from measurements and characterization. Measurements are needed at all different levels of R&D and production – from investigating the operating principles of solar cells to developing standards for the performance of installed photovoltaic (PV) systems. The relationship between structure, physical properties, and the resulting PV performance is a challenge in materials science and engineering. Reliable and precise determination of the efficiency and thus power of solar cells and PV modules is crucial for the successful widespread deployment of PV and an ongoing challenge for flat-plate and concentrating PV technologies. Area 8 is intended to present the latest developments in the characterization of photovoltaics. Area 8 envisions joint sessions with other areas in particular in the area of the characterization materials devices and modules. We encourage members of the PV community to submit their contributions addressing the full range of scientific and technological challenges in the field of characterization, including the following topics:

Sub-Area 8.1: Defects in Photovoltaic Materials and Solar Cells
Sub-Area 8.2: New Methods and Instruments for the Characterization of Solar Cells and Modules
Sub-Area 8.3: In-Situ Measurements, Process Control, Defect Monitoring
Sub-Area 8.4: Challenges in the Characterization of Novel Materials and Solar Cell Concepts
Sub-Area 8-5 Optical and Electrical Characterization Techniques for Photovoltaics
Sub-Area 8-6 Characterization Techniques for Photovoltaic Modules and Systems,
Sub-Area 8.7: Performance Testing and Standards
Sub­Area 8.8: Joint Topic to Areas 2, 5, 6 and 8 on Characterization of Polycrystalline or Amorphous Thin Film Photovoltaic Materials and Devices
Sub­Area 8.9: Joint Topi to, Areas 1, 3, 7 and 8 on Characterization of Single Crystalline Photovoltaic Materials and Devices
Sub­Area 8.10: Joint Topic to Areas 8 and 9 on Characterization of Photovoltaic Modules and Systems

For more information about this area please see the full call for paper (PDF)

---

 

Area 9: PV Modules, Manufacturing, Systems and Applications

Chair: Clifford Hansen, Sandia National Laboratory
Co-Chairs: Joshua Stein, Sandia National Laboratories,
Pierre Verlinden, Trina Solar, China USA

Area Description
Advances in PV module engineering and manufacturing have been remarkable and their impact in lowering levelized cost of energy (LCOE) is significant. New materials for PV modules are introduced on a regular basis and new assembly technologies are proposed. Customers require better energy prediction methods and confidence in energy yield estimates. We solicit papers that describe advancements in PV module design and manufacture, new research regarding solar resource measurement and modeling and advances in module and system modeling. We particularly invite papers related to methods for system performance testing and strategies and techniques for system monitoring and maintenance. We welcome papers describing advancements in technology and modeling for balance-of-system components such as trackers, inverters, and power optimizers, as well as innovative deployment and application of PV technologies, and invite submissions for a Joint Session discussion mobile power applications. In each sub-area, greatest interest is for papers reporting completed work accompanied by validation from field or laboratory testing, or comprehensive modeling.

Sub-Area 9.1: Module Materials, Design, Manufacture, and Production
Sub-Area 9.2: Solar Resource Measurement and Modeling
Sub-Area 9.3: Models for Energy Prediction
Sub-Area 9.4: System Performance Rating and Monitoring Strategies
Sub-Area 9.5: Power Electronics, Energy Storage and other BOS Components
Sub-Area 9.6: Building Integrated Photovoltaics and Novel Applications
Sub-Area 9.7: Joint topic to Areas 1,3,7 and 9 on Mobile Solar Power/ High Efficiency Flexible lightweight PV
Sub-­Area 9.8: Joint Topic to Areas 8 and 9 on Characterization of Photovoltaic Modules and Systems

For more information about this area please see the full call for paper (PDF)

---

Area 10: PV Deployment and Sustainability

Chair: Annick Anctil, Michigan State University, USA
Co-Chair: Arnulf Jaeger- Waldau, European Commission, Italy

Area Description
The PV Deployment and Sustainability area provides an opportunity to discuss aspects required to ensure the long-term success of the PV industry. It represents an extension of the traditional scope of the conference where current concerns and strategies to increase the adoption of PV as a major electricity source will be discussed.

“Interconnections” discusses challenges associated with the undergoing transition from primary energy sources connected to an aging grid to a modernized grid that incorporates new technologies such as variable renewable energy sources. “Government/ Policy/ Financing” focuses on strategies to sustain or accelerate high growth rates and rapid cost reductions through government policy and financing models which are critical to the success of PV deployment. Finally “Sustainability seeks submissions that look in all aspects of sustainability into all stages of PV, from raw material extraction to disposal, to assess the environmental, social and economic impact of PV deployment.” A joint session between Area 9 and 10 focusing on the manufacturing aspects is possible. Authors should submit to the area of their choice; abstracts that are relevant to two areas will be reviewed by both areas and will be considered for inclusion in all relevant sessions.

Sub-Area 10.1: Interconnections

Sub-Area 10.2: Government/Policy/Financing

Sub Area 10.3: Sustainability

For more information about this area please see the full call for paper (PDF)

---

Area 11: PV and System Reliability

Chair: Charlie Hasselbrink, Sunpower, USA
Co-Chair: Tony Sample, European Commission, DG JRC, Ispra, Italy

Area Description
The PV industry now attracts billions of dollars & euros of investment annually; thus it has become increasingly critical to have confidence in the long-term performance and reliability of these systems. This Area considers the Reliability of all types of PV and Systems technologies as well as process impacts throughout the value chain. Topics especially critical to the success of the PV industry include: up-to-date understanding of what is being observed for deployed products, the physics of degradation/failure modes, the development of accelerated tests and the validation of those tests’ ability to correlate with outcomes in the field, best practices in Design-for-Reliability and manufacturing QA; and the development and industry acceptance of standards and test protocols to ensure safety and reliability of PV systems. We note that papers on “reversible” degradation mechanisms, such as soiling, are highly encouraged. Submissions are invited for all types of PV technologies.

This area may host joint sessions with other Areas. Area 11 has been divided into five subareas, as presented below. Submission of papers on detailed scientific research studies as well as visionary papers addressing the full range of these topics are invited.

Sub-Area 11.1: Reliability Field Experience

Sub-Area 11.2: Physics of Failure and Predictive Modeling

Sub-Area 11.3: Accelerated Testing and Correlation with Field Experience

Sub-Area 11.4: Design and Manufacturing for Reliability and Quality

Sub-Area 11.5: Certification and Safety Standards for Modules and Systems

For more information about this area please see the full call for paper (PDF)