Laboratory of Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics

Laboratory of Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics

Laboratory of Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics (LPVO) focuses on the research and development in the fields of photovoltaics, optoelectronics and electronics.
We are most active in the field of photovoltaics and the largest R&D group in Slovenia. We are developing various types of solar cells, PV modules, regulators and systems with the emphasis on the new technological solutions. We are interested in boundary capabilities of solar cells from the all three generations. Technologically contemporary equipped laboratory paves the way for the development of the most perspective photovoltaic technologies and upgrade internationally employed simulation tools for optical and electrical analysis of various semiconductor structures, solar cells, modules and entire solar power plants. The top-level measurement equipment enables implementation of electrical, optical and optoelectronic characterization, which also includes outdoor monitoring and in-field trials.
The research in the field of optoelectronics is focused on the thin-film amorphous silicon photo detectors for visible and ultraviolet light. The members have developed simulation tools for optical and electrical analysis of arbitrary thin-film structures for this purpose. The measurement laboratory is equipped with the Perkin Elmer Lambda 950 spectrometer in the UV/Vis/IR range, the fully automated angular resolved scattering measurement system and with the micrometer resolution laser beam induced current measurement system. The system for noise frequency spectrum measurement of two terminal electronic elements was also built.
In the electronics field the laboratory members intensively research independent position and orientation sensors which include accelerometers, gyroscopes, electronic compasses and GPS. They also develop special embedded systems as: data acquisition card for acquiring of analogous and digital signals, GPIB-USB and GPIB-Ethernet interface card with belonging software which enables control and communication between the measurement equipment and the personal computer and also the measurement system for automatic inspection of PV modules' IV characteristics together with all environmental quantities (momentary values of solar irradiation, air and PV module temperature, wind speed, etc.). Researchers and graduates are realizing their designs with the help of system for prototype manufacturing of printed circuit boards.
Educational objectives of LPVO aim at the transfer of advanced knowledge into the contents of subjects of the I., II. and III. Bologna programmes at UL FEE and at the training of students and researchers which beside the educational obligations earn knowledge from semiconductor electronics and learn about the methodology of solving interdisciplinary problems from the wide segment of the engineering. The teachers from LPVO give lessons in the following subjects from the first Bologna cycle: Semiconductor devices, Semiconductor electronics, Optoelectronics, Photonics, Analog electronic circuits, Reliability and maintenance of components and systems, from the second Bologna cycle: Nonlinear electronic circuits, and the subjects from the third Bologna cycle: Photovoltaics, and Optoelectronics.
LPVO offers access to all students who wish to upgrade their skills or to realize their own projects. Students can use specialized literature, state-of-the-art measurement equipment and software. Any necessary help can be obtained from the teachers, assistants and other members of the laboratories. The students can additionally educate themselves in the fields of photovoltaics and optoelectronics during short or long educational exchanges with Delft University of Technology, Loughborough University or Colorado State University in USA as inter-laboratory collaboration agreements are signed.
In the past five years (2007-2011) more than thirty students finished theses in LPVO. Among them were two graduates in the specialization programme, one graduate finished the magisterium degree and seven young researchers obtained the doctoral degree.
LPVO is strongly embedded in the national and international R&D projects and fruitfully cooperates with domestic and foreign companies. The work of the laboratories is associated with the research of semiconductor materials, electronic structures, circuits, devices and systems which include interactions with the light. In the last ten years, the work focuses on photovoltaics, especially in the research and development of solar cells and photovoltaic modules. For a better understanding of results the members of the laboratories are developing analytical and numerical models, measurement methods, software and equipment for research and technological work.
Research results are published in renowned specialized journals (over 50 original scientific papers with over 300 citations achieved in the last 10 years) and regularly presented at international conferences.
They have participated in the development of production photovoltaics technologies and products in the national companies Bisol, Trimo and HTZ and developed the first Slovenian outdoor monitoring and test site for photovoltaic modules and the first electrochemical solar cell technology in Slovenia.
The LPVO researchers cooperate with renowned research institutions abroad. In the last ten years they have participated in seven European projects and coordinated one of them. In the 6th framework programme projects FLEXCELLENCE (2005-2008) and ATHLET (2006-2009) we cooperated with distinguished academic and industry partners across Europe at the development of flexible thin-film silicon photovoltaic modules and the development of advanced thin-film technologies for competitive photovoltaics. In the 7th Framework programme we have participated at the project SOLAMON (2009-2011) where plasmon generating nanocomposite materials have been developed for 3rd Generation Thin Film Solar Cells. Currently we are working on Silicon-Light project (2010-2012) aiming at improved material quality and light trapping in thin film silicon solar cells.


web site:
http://lpvo.fe.uni-lj.si/en/


members:
Dr. Marko Berginc , room B315A-LPVO , tel.: 276
Dr. Andrej Čampa , room BN315-LPVO2, tel.: 875
as.-raz.dr. Miha Filipič , tel.: 276
Dr. Boštjan Glažar , room BN312-KA, tel.: 953
Asst. Prof. Dr. Marko Jankovec , room BN312-KAB, tel.: 931
Marko Jošt , tel.: 321
Rok Kimovec , tel.: 723
Blaž Kirn , room BN315 - LPVO, tel.: 848
Milan Kovačič , room BN315, tel.: 723
Prof. Dr. Janez Krč , room BN311-KAB , tel.: 843
Dr. Benjamin Lipovšek , room BN311-KAB, tel.: 845
Žiga Lokar , room BN315, tel.: 276
Jure Petric , tel.: 936
as.-raz.dr. Martin Sever , room BN315-LPVO2, tel.: 723
Prof. Dr. Marko Topič , room BN302, tel.: 470