Physics of Solar Energy and Energy Storage

C. Julian Chen is an adjunct professor and Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics at Columbia University since 2007. Prior to his time as an academic, he spent fifteen years in IBM’s TJ Watson Research Center, where he performed research on scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). To continue STM research, he served as a Professor of Physics at Hamburg University for three years.

• List of Figures xiiiList of Tables xixPreface to the Second Edition xxiPreface to the First Edition xxiiiChapter 1: Introduction 11.1 Shaping a More Livable World 11.2 Solar Energy 91.3 Solar Photovoltaics 121.4 A Rechargeable Battery Primer 161.5 Other Renewable Energy Resources 21Chapter 2: Nature of Solar Radiation 372.1 Light as Electromagnetic Waves 372.2 Interface Phenomena 432.3 Blackbody Radiation 512.4 Photoelectric Effect and Concept of Photons 582.5 Einstein's Derivation of Blackbody Formula 63Chapter 3: Origin of Solar Energy 673.1 Basic Parameters of the Sun 683.2 Kelvin–Helmholtz Time Scale 703.3 Energy Source of the Sun 72Chapter 4: Tracking Sunlight 774.1 Rotation of Earth: Latitude and Longitude 774.2 Celestial Sphere 784.3 Treatment in Solar Time 844.4 Treatment in Standard Time 94Chapter 5: Interaction of Sunlight with Earth 1055.1 Interaction of Radiation with Matter 1055.2 Interaction of Sunlight with Atmosphere 1085.3 Penetration of Solar Energy into Earth 111Chapter 6: Thermodynamics of Solar Energy 1176.1 Definitions 1176.2 First Law of Thermodynamics 1186.3 Second Law of Thermodynamics 1216.4 Thermodynamic Functions 1256.5 Ideal Gas 1276.6 Ground Source Heat Pump and Air Conditioning 131Chapter 7: A Quantum Mechanics Primer 1397.1 The Static Schrödinger Equation 1407.2 Many-Electron Systems 1637.3 The Chemical Bond 1697.4 The Solid State 1747.5 The Dynamic Schrödinger Equation 181Chapter 8: pn-Junctions 1898.1 Semiconductors 1898.2 Formation of a pn-Junction 1948.3 Analysis of pn-Junctions 1988.4 Light-Emitting Diodes for Illumination 202Chapter 9: Semiconductor Solar Cells 2119.1 Basic Concepts 2119.2 The Shockley–Queisser Limit 2179.3 Nonradiative Recombination Processes 2259.4 Antireflection Coatings 2289.5 Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells 2349.6 Thin-Film Solar Cells 2389.7 Tandem Solar Cells 241Chapter 10: Solar Photochemistry 24510.1 Physics of Photosynthesis 24510.2 Artificial Photosynthesis 25310.3 Genetically Engineered Algae 25310.4 Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells 25310.5 Bilayer Organic Solar Cells 256Chapter 11: Solar Thermal Energy 25911.1 Early Solar Thermal Applications 25911.2 Solar Heat Collectors 26211.3 Solar Water Heaters 27111.4 Solar Thermal Power Systems 272Chapter 12: Physical Energy Storage 27812.1 Pumped Hydro Storage 27812.2 Sensible Heat Energy Storage 27912.3 Phase Transition Thermal Storage 283Chapter 13: Rechargeable Batteries 28813.1 An Electrochemistry Primer 28813.2 Lithium-Ion Batteries 29213.3 Sodium-Ion Batteries 30613.4 Traditional Rechargeable Batteries 310Chapter 14: Building with Sunshine 31314.1 Early Solar Architecture 31414.2 Building Materials 31514.3 Example of Holistic Design 320Appendix A: Energy Unit Conversion 325Appendix B: Spherical Trigonometry 327B.1 Spherical Triangle 327B.2 Cosine Formula 328B.3 Sine Formula 329B.4 Formula C 331Appendix C: Vector Analysis and Determinants 333C.1 Vector Analysis 333C.2 Determinants 334Appendix D: Real Spherical Harmonics 336D.1 The Spherical Coordinate System 336D.2 Spherical Harmonics 337Appendix E: Complex Numbers 341E.1 Definition of Complex Numbers 341E.2 The Euler Formula 342Appendix F: Statistics of Particles 343F.1 Maxwell–Boltzmann Statistics 344F.2 Fermi–Dirac Statistics 345F.3 Bose–Einstein Statistics 346Appendix G: Measurement in Quantum Mechanics 347G.1 The Measurement Postulate 347G.2 Experiments in Position Detection 349G.3 Tomographic Imaging of Wavefunctions 351G.4 Einstein's Opinion on Quantum Mechanics 353G.5 A Modern View of Schrödinger's Cat 353G.6 A Natural Presentation of Quantum Mechanics 354Bibliography 357Index 365