Physics of Solar Energy -- Contents -- Preface -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Chapter 1: Introduction -- 1.1 Solar Energy -- 1.2 Go beyond Petroleum -- 1.3 Other Renewable Energy Resources -- 1.3.1 Hydroelectric Power -- 1.3.2 Wind Power -- 1.3.3 Biomass and Bioenergy -- 1.3.4 Shallow Geothermal Energy -- 1.3.5 Deep Geothermal Energy -- 1.4 Solar Photovoltaics Primer -- 1.4.1 Birth of Modern Solar Cells -- 1.4.2 Some Concepts on Solar Cells -- 1.4.3 Types of Solar Cells -- 1.4.4 Energy Balance -- 1.5 Above Physics -- 1.5.1 Economics of Solar Energy -- 1.5.2 Moral Equivalence of War -- 1.5.3 Solar Water Heaters over the World -- 1.5.4 Photovoltaics: Toward Grid Parity -- Problems -- Chapter 2: Nature of Solar Radiation -- 2.1 Light as Electromagnetic Waves -- 2.1.1 Maxwell's Equations -- 2.1.2 Vector Potential -- 2.1.3 Electromagnetic Waves -- 2.1.4 Plane Waves -- 2.1.5 Polarization of Light -- 2.1.6 Motion of an Electron in Electric and Magnetic Fields -- 2.2 Optics of Thin Films -- 2.2.1 Relative Dielectric Constant and Refractive Index -- 2.2.2 Energy Balance and Poynting Vector -- 2.2.3 Fresnel Formulas -- 2.3 Blackbody Radiation -- 2.3.1 Rayleigh-Jeans Law -- 2.3.2 Planck Formula and Stefan-Boltzmann's Law -- 2.4 Photoelectric Effect and Concept of Photons -- 2.4.1 Einstein's Theory of Photons -- 2.4.2 Millikan's Experimental Verification -- 2.4.3 Wave-Particle Duality -- 2.5 Einstein's Derivation of Blackbody Formula -- Problems -- Chapter 3: Origin of Solar Energy -- 3.1 Basic Parameters of the Sun -- 3.1.1 Distance -- 3.1.2 Mass -- 3.1.3 Radius -- 3.1.4 Emission Power -- 3.1.5 Surface Temperature -- 3.1.6 Composition -- 3.2 Kelvin-Helmholtz Time Scale -- 3.3 Energy Source of the Sun -- 3.3.1 The p - p Chain -- 3.3.2 Carbon Chain -- 3.3.3 Internal Structure of the Sun -- Problems -- Chapter 4: Tracking Sunlight.

4.1 Rotation of Earth: Latitude and Longitude -- 4.2 Celestial Sphere -- 4.2.1 Coordinate Transformation: Cartesian Coordinates -- 4.2.2 Coordinate Transformation: Spherical Trigonometry -- 4.3 Treatment in Solar Time -- 4.3.1 Obliquity and Declination of the Sun -- 4.3.2 Sunrise and Sunset Time -- 4.3.3 Direct Solar Radiation on an Arbitrary Surface -- 4.3.4 Direct Daily Solar Radiation Energy -- 4.3.5 The 24 Solar Terms -- 4.4 Treatment in Standard Time -- 4.4.1 Sidereal Time and Solar Time -- 4.4.2 Right Ascension of the Sun -- 4.4.3 Time Difference Originated from Obliquity -- 4.4.4 Aphelion and Perihelion -- 4.4.5 Time Difference Originated from Eccentricity -- 4.4.6 Equation of Time -- 4.4.7 Declination of the Sun -- 4.4.8 Analemma -- Problems -- Chapter 5: Interaction of Sunlight with Earth -- 5.1 Interaction of Radiation with Matter -- 5.1.1 Absorptivity, Reffectivity, and Transmittivity -- 5.1.2 Emissivity and Kirchho.'s Law -- 5.1.3 Bouguer-Lambert-Beer's Law -- 5.2 Interaction of Sunlight with Atmosphere -- 5.2.1 AM1.5 Reference Solar Spectral Irradiance -- 5.2.2 Annual Insolation Map -- 5.2.3 Clearness Index -- 5.2.4 Beamand Diffuse Solar Radiation -- 5.3 Penetration of Solar Energy into Earth -- Problems -- Chapter 6: Thermodynamics of Solar Energy -- 6.1 Definitions -- 6.2 First Law of Thermodynamics -- 6.3 Second Law of Thermodynamics -- 6.3.1 Carnot Cycle -- 6.3.2 Thermodynamic Temperature -- 6.3.3 Entropy -- 6.4 Thermodynamic Functions -- 6.4.1 Free Energy -- 6.4.2 Enthalpy -- 6.4.3 Gibbs Free Energy -- 6.4.4 Chemical Potential -- 6.5 Ideal Gas -- 6.6 Ground Source Heat Pump and Air Conditioning -- 6.6.1 Theory -- 6.6.2 Coeffcient of Performance -- 6.6.3 Vapor-Compression Heat Pump and Refrigerator -- 6.6.4 Ground Heat Exchanger -- Problems -- Chapter 7: Quantum Transitions -- 7.1 Basic Concepts of Quantum Mechanics.

7.1.1 Quantum States: Energy Levels and Wavefunctions -- 7.1.2 Dynamic Variables and Equation of Motion -- 7.1.3 One-Dimensional Potential Well -- 7.1.4 Hydrogen Atom -- 7.2 Many-Electron Systems -- 7.2.1 Single-Electron Approximation -- 7.2.2 Direct Observation of Quantum States -- 7.2.3 Quantum States of Molecules: HOMO and LUMO -- 7.2.4 Quantum States of a Nanocrystal -- 7.3 The Golden Rule -- 7.3.1 Time-Dependent Perturbation by Periodic Disturbance -- 7.3.2 Golden Rule for Continuous Spectrum -- 7.3.3 Principle of Detailed Balance -- 7.4 Interactions with Photons -- Problems -- Chapter 8: pn-Junctions -- 8.1 Semiconductors -- 8.1.1 Conductor, Semiconductor, and Insulator -- 8.1.2 Electrons and Holes -- 8.1.3 p-Type and n-Type Semiconductors -- 8.2 Formation of a pn-Junction -- 8.3 Analysis of pn-Junctions -- 8.3.1 Effect of Bias Voltage -- 8.3.2 Lifetime of Excess Minority Carriers -- 8.3.3 Junction Current -- 8.3.4 Shockley Equation -- Problems -- Chapter 9: Semiconductor Solar Cells -- 9.1 Basic Concepts -- 9.1.1 Generation of Electric Power -- 9.1.2 Solar Cell Equation -- 9.1.3 Maximum Power and Fill Factor -- 9.2 The Shockley-Queisser Limit -- 9.2.1 Ultimate Efficiency -- 9.2.2 Role of Recombination Time -- 9.2.3 Detailed-Balance Treatment -- 9.2.4 Nominal Efficiency -- 9.2.5 Shockley-Queisser Efficiency Limit -- 9.2.6 Efficiency Limit for AM1.5 Radiation -- 9.3 Nonradiative Recombination Processes -- 9.3.1 Auger Recombination -- 9.3.2 Trap-State Recombination -- 9.3.3 Surface-State Recombination -- 9.4 Antireffection Coatings -- 9.4.1 Matrix Method -- 9.4.2 Single-Layer Antireffection Coating -- 9.4.3 Double-Layer Antireffection Coatings -- 9.5 Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells -- 9.5.1 Production of Pure Silicon -- 9.5.2 Solar Cell Design and Processing -- 9.5.3 Module Fabrication -- 9.6 Thin-Film Solar Cells -- 9.6.1 CdTe Solar Cells.

9.6.2 CIGS Solar Cells -- 9.6.3 Amorphous Silicon Thin-Film Solar Cells -- 9.7 Tandem Solar Cells -- Problems -- Chapter 10: Solar Electrochemistry -- 10.1 Physics of Photosynthesis -- 10.1.1 Chlorophyll -- 10.1.2 ATP: Universal Energy Currency of Life -- 10.1.3 NADPH and NADP+ -- 10.1.4 Calvin Cycle -- 10.1.5 C4 Plants versus C3 Plants -- 10.1.6 Chloroplast -- 10.1.7 Efficiency of Photosynthesis -- 10.2 Artificial Photosynthesis -- 10.3 Genetically Engineered Algae -- 10.4 Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells -- 10.5 Bilayer Organic Solar Cells -- Problems -- Chapter 11: Solar Thermal Energy -- 11.1 Early Solar Thermal Applications -- 11.2 Solar Heat Collectors -- 11.2.1 Selective Absorption Surface -- 11.2.2 Flat-Plate Collectors -- 11.2.3 All-Glass Vacuum-Tube Collectors -- 11.2.4 Thermosiphon Solar Heat Collectors -- 11.2.5 High-Pressure Vacuum Tube Collectors -- 11.3 Solar Water Heaters -- 11.3.1 System with Thermosiphon Solar Heat Collectors -- 11.3.2 System with Pressurized Heat-Exchange Coils -- 11.3.3 System with a Separate Heat-Exchange Tank -- 11.4 Solar Thermal Power Systems -- 11.4.1 Parabolic Trough Concentrator -- 11.4.2 Central Receiver with Heliostats -- 11.4.3 Paraboloidal Dish Concentrator with Stirling Engine -- 11.4.4 Integrated Solar Combined Cycle -- 11.4.5 Linear Fresnel Reffector (LFR) -- Problems -- Chapter 12: Energy Storage -- 12.1 Sensible Heat Energy Storage -- 12.1.1 Water -- 12.1.2 Solid Sensible Heat Storage Materials -- 12.1.3 Synthetic Oil in Packed Beds -- 12.2 Phase Transition Thermal Storage -- 12.2.1 Water-Ice Systems -- 12.2.2 Paraffin Wax and Other Organic Materials -- 12.2.3 Salt Hydrates -- 12.2.4 Encapsulation of PCM -- 12.3 Rechargeable Batteries -- 12.3.1 Electrochemistry of Rechargeable Batteries -- 12.3.2 Lead-Acid Batteries -- 12.3.3 Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries -- 12.3.4 Lithium-Ion Batteries.

12.3.5 Mineral Resource of Lithium -- 12.4 Solar Energy and Electric Vehicles -- Problems -- Chapter 13: Building with Sunshine -- 13.1 Early Solar Architecture -- 13.1.1 Ancient Solar Architecture -- 13.1.2 Holistic Architecture in Rural China -- 13.2 Building Materials -- 13.2.1 Thermal Resistance -- 13.2.2 Specific Thermal Resistance -- 13.2.3 Heat Transfer Coefficient: the U-Value -- 13.2.4 Thermal Mass -- 13.2.5 Glazing -- 13.3 Example of Holistic Design -- 13.4 Land Usage of Solar Communities -- Problems -- Appendix A: Energy Unit Conversion -- Appendix B: Spherical Trigonometry -- B.1 Spherical Triangle -- B.2 Cosine Formula -- B.3 Sine Formula -- B.4 Formula C -- Problems -- Appendix C: Quantum Mechanics Primer -- C.1 Harmonic Oscillator -- C.2 Angular Momentum -- C.3 Hydrogen Atom -- Appendix D: Statistics of Particles -- D.1 Maxwell-Boltzmann Statistics -- D.2 Fermi-Dirac Statistics -- Appendix E: AM1.5 Reference Solar Spectrum -- List of Symbols -- Bibliography -- Index.