European Society for Quantum Solar Energy Conversion

European Sommer School on Quantum Solar Energy Conversion

Chairman's Message
Quantum solar energy conversion deals with all aspects of solar energy conversion, where not only the energy current as a whole but the energy of single photons in particular is important. Such processes occur in photosynthesis, in photochemistry and in photovoltaics. They produce chemical and electrical energy. This summer school will concentrate on principles of quantum solar energy conversion in semiconductor physics, photochemistry and photosynthesis. Their common aspects are processes of charge transfer across interfaces. The driving forces and the selectivity of the interfaces which govern this charge transfer are of particular interest. The participation of scientists and students in various fields shall bridge the gap between disciplines, which are used to different ways of describing very similar principles and processes. An overview is given over each field and new developments in research and understanding will be presented.

Prof. Peter Würfel
Institut fuer angewandte Physik
Universität Karlsruhe
D - 76128 Karlsruhe
Fax: +[49] (721) 607593
email: Peter.Wuerfel@physik.uni-karlsruhe.de

Program of the Summerschool

Monday

08:00Breakfast 
08:30WürfelIntroduction 
Basics 
Thermodynamics of energy conversion 
08:45Würfel Principles of converting heat radiation into chemical or electrical energy, limits for efficiencies in general and for quantum systems in particular
Semiconductors 
09:30FuhsEnergy bands, doping, Fermi-distribution, pn- junction in the dark, distribution of electrical potential, capacitance
10:30Coffee Break 
11:00 Kiess Optical properties of semiconductors, generation and recombination of electrons and holes, quasi-Fermi-distributions, recombination via defects 
12:00 Würfel Transport of electrons and holes, structures for charge separation, pn-junction under illumination, I-V characteristic, surface states
13:00 - 16:45 Individual discussions 
16:45 Fuhs Semiconducting materials for photovoltaics 
17:30 Hodes Preparation of semiconductor thin films for photovoltaics 
18:30Dinner 
Tuesday
08:00Breakfast 
08:30 Sariciftci Organic semiconductors for photovoltaics 
Electrolytes 
09:30 Meissner Redox systems, reference electrodes, ion transport, electron states in an electrolyte
10:30Coffee break 
11:00 Meissner Semiconductor/el ectrolyte interfaces: potential distribution, electron transfer, chemical and electrochemical equilibria, corrosive reactions, state of the art of semiconductor / electrolyte junctions
Energy Conversion 
Chemical reactions and charge separation at interfaces in photosynthesis 
12:00 Kurrek Bacterial and plant photosynthesis, comparison of Calvin and Krebs cycle, chemistry of photosynthesis
13:00 - 16:45Individual discussions 
16:45 Schaafsma Structure and processes of charge separation and energy transfer in photosynthetic reaction centers and - antennae. 
Photovoltaics of molecular and organized organic homo- and heterojunctions: the antenna/photoactive layer interface
Charge separation processes in photovoltaics 
17:30 Kiess State of the art of photovoltaics in Silicon solar cells
18:30Dinner 
Wednesday
08:00Breakfast 
08:30 Fuhs  State of the art of photovoltaics in thin film homo- and heterojunction solar cells
09:30 Schaafsma  Interfacial electron and energy transfer in dye sensitized semiconductor solar cells, interaction of dyes with the semiconductor interface
10:30Coffee break 
11:00 Fuhs Environmental aspects of solar energy conversion technologies 
Experimental techniques 
12:00 Meissner Measurement of lifetimes and mobilities 
13:00 - 16:45Individual discussions 
16:45 Hodes Characterisation of semiconductor thin films 
17:30 Würfel Room temperature luminescence as a qualifier for solar energy conversion 
18:30Dinner 
Thursday
Special topics 
08:00Breakfast 
08:30 Meissner New solar cell structures: Spheral, monograin, nanoporous solar cells
09:30 Hodes Nanocrystalline materials for solar energy conversion
10:30Coffee break 
11:00 Kurrek  Primary events in photosynthesis - the photosynthetic reaction center
12:00 Schaafsma  Optical spectroscopy of primary photophysical processes, intermolecular interactions and structural properties of thin organic films in solar cells 
13:00 - 16:45 Individual discussions 
16:45 Kurrek  Present status of photosynthetic processes as studied by time resolved EPR spectroscopy: photoinduced downhill electron transfer, charge separation, unidirectionality, efficiency
17:30 Würfel Energy conversion with hot electrons from impact ionisation, the importance of isoenergetic electron transfer through narrow-band semiconducting electrodes
18:30Dinner 
Friday
08:00Breakfast 
08:30 Meissner  Mapping of surface energy contours with the tunneling microscope. From photocopier to organic solar cells: phthalocyanine and perylene dye films
09:30 Sariciftci  Photophysics and photovoltaic applications of conjugated polymers
10:30Coffee break 
11:00 Kiess Light trapping structures for improved light absorption
12:00 Fuhs New developments in thin film solar cells
13:00 - 16:45 Individual discussions 
16:45 Summary and plenary discussion 
18:30Dinner 
Saturday
08:00Breakfast 
Last updated November 4, 1998

European Society for Quantum Solar Energy Conversion
E-mail: secretary.general@quantsol.org