Simulator CROWM (Combined Ray-optics Wave-Optics Model) implements an optical numerical model for simulation of thin-film photovoltaic devices with thick surface-textured front components. The model is based on the combination of incoherent geometric optics and coherent wave optics analysis, which are employed separately to simulate light propagation through the front textured component and the bottom flat thin-film component of the device, respectively. The verified model is implemented into the three-dimensional optical simulator CROWM, which is employed to study the light-trapping potential of the front surface-textured protective glass in thin-film photovoltaic modules. Konarka Technologies Inc. as the world leader in the field of flexible organic photovoltaics modules has bought in 2011 three licences of the CROWM Simulator as an indispensable cutting-edge tool in design of high-performance organic photovoltaic devices.
F.06 Development of a new product
COBISS.SI-ID: 8972628This is one of the invited lectures devoted to advanced concepts of light manipulation in photovoltaic devices, in particularly thin-film silicon solar cells. Among others are: TOPIČ, Marko, KRČ, Janez. Advanced optical concepts in thin film silicon solar cells. 2nd International Symposium on Innovative Solar Cells, Tsukuba, 2009. [COBISS.SI-ID 7456596] SITES, James R., KOISHIYEV, G. T., TOPIČ, Marko. Impact of local non-uniformities on thin-film PV. SPIE Optics + Photonics, San Diego, 2009. [COBISS.SI-ID 7864404] TOPIČ, Marko, KRČ, Janez. Photon management and yield in PV devices. 6th Workshop on the Future Direction of Photovoltaics, Tokyo, 2010. [COBISS.SI-ID 7603028] TOPIČ, Marko. High efficiency thin-film solar cells - a must or an additional low-cost aspect. Workshop Low-Cost Solar Cells, Skopje, 2011. [COBISS.SI-ID 8746068] TOPIČ, Marko, ČAMPA Andrej, LIPOVŠEK, Benjamin, SEVER, Martin, KRČ, Janez. Approaches and challenges in optical modeling and optical characterization of thin-film solar cells. European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting 2014, Lille, 26-30 May 2014. Light management is important for improving the performance of thin-film solar cells. Advanced concepts of efficient light scattering and trapping inside the cell structures are the focus of the invited talks. An important tool for design and optimisation of the concepts present optical modelling and simulation. Several models have been developed and implemented in numerical simulators, e.g. a model of light scattering at textured surfaces, which is based on first order Born approximation and the Fraunhofer diffraction. Another approach presents rigorous solving of Maxwell's equations for electromagnetic waves in two- or three-dimensions. Theoretical approaches and results are knitted up with experimental results related to three advanced light management approaches: i) modulated surface morphologies for enhanced scattering and anti-reflection, ii) metal nano-particles introducing plasmonic scattering, and iii) one-dimensional photonic crystals (Bragg stacks) for back reflectors. Improvements in output performance of thin-film solar cells are demonstrated and discussed.
B.04 Guest lecture
COBISS.SI-ID: 9351508Marko Topic has participated as a co-chairmen of Symposium "Advanced Inorganic Materials and Concepts for Photovoltaics" at the European Material Research Society Spring Meeting 2011 (Nice, 9-13 May 2011). The Symposium gathered more than 250 participants and resulted in a peer-review proceedings (58 papers, 328 pages) that has been published in Energy Procedia (Vol. 2) by Elsevier. Marko Topič has participated as the lead co-chairman of Symposium "Advanced Inorganic Materials and Structures for Photovoltaics" at the European Material Research Society Spring Meeting (Strasbourg, 27-31 May 2013). The Symposium gathered more than 200 participants and resulted in a peer-review proceedings (32 papers, 243 pages) that has been published in Energy Procedia (Vol. 44) by Elsevier.
B.02 Presiding over the programming board of a conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 10398804As every second year (since 2006) we organize Slovenian Photovoltaic Conference. The 3rd and 4th Slovenian Photovoltaic Conference were held at University of Ljubljana Faculty of Electrical Engineering on 28 Sep 2010 and 20-21 Jun 2012. Conference programme covered global R&D trends in PV, research and development of photovoltaics in Slovenia, challanges and barriers in deployment of PV in Slovenia and design, engineering and operation of PV systems. The conferences were accompanied with an exhibition of Slovenian PV companies. SLO-PV 2010 (over 240 participants) SLO-PV 2012 (over 150 participants) SLO-PV 2014 (over 130 participants) Detailed information can be found at http://slo-pv.fe.uni-lj.si
B.01 Organiser of a scientific meeting
COBISS.SI-ID: 8290644At the 24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (EU-PVSEC-24, 21-25 Sep 2009) with over 2500 participants, 300 oral and 800 visual presentations in 6 sections, our contribution 3BV.5.71 TOPIČ, Marko, BRECL, Kristijan, SITES, James R.: FROM SMALL-AREA CELL TO LARGE-AREA MODULE PERFORMANCE-ROLE OF INHOMOGENEITIES IN THIN FILM PHOTOVOLTAICS received an award for the best visual presentation in section "Thin Film Solar Cells". At the 27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (EU-PVSEC-27, 24-28 Sep 2012) with over 4000 participants, 300 oral and 1100 visual presentations in 6 sections, our contribution 3DV.1.62 Benjamin Lipovšek, Janez Krč, Marko Topič: DESIGN AND OPTIMISATION OF THIN-FILM SILICON PV MODULES WITH SURFACE-TEXTURED FRONT GLASS BY USING A COMBINED GEOMETRIC OPTICS / WAVE OPTICS MODEL received an award for the best visual presentation in section "Thin Film Solar Cells".
E.02 International awards
COBISS.SI-ID: 9543764