Analysis of features of recombination mechanisms in silicon solar cells

• Published in: Semiconductor Physics Quantum Electronics & Optoelectronics
• Date: 2014
• Main Authors: Korkishko, R.M., Kostylyov, V.P., Prima, N.A., Sachenko, A.V., Serba, O.A., Slusar, T.V., Chernenko, V.V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Інститут фізики напівпровідників імені В.Є. Лашкарьова НАН України 2014
• Online Access: https://nasplib.isofts.kiev.ua/handle/123456789/118353
• Journal Title: Digital Library of Periodicals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
• Cite this: Analysis of features of recombination mechanisms
 in silicon solar cells / R.M. Korkishko, V.P. Kostylyov, N.A. Prima, A.V. Sachenko, O.A. Serba, T.V. Slusar, V.V. Chernenko // Semiconductor Physics Quantum Electronics & Optoelectronics. — 2014. — Т. 17, № 1. — С. 14-20. — Бібліогр.: 8 назв. — англ.

Investigated in this paper are theoretical and experimental spectral
 dependences of the short-circuit current as well as small-signal photo-e.m.f. in silicon
 solar cells. The authors have considered two constructions of solar cells. The first
 construction is a solar cell with contacts on the front and back surfaces, and the second –
 solar cells with back barriers and contact metallization. Analyzed in the work are spectral
 dependences of the internal quantum efficiency for the short-circuit current and smallsignal
 photo-e.m.f.
 It has been shown that the short-wave drop of the short-circuit current is related with
 recombination on deep centers at the front surface as well as inter-band Auger
 recombination in the heavily doped emitter. At the same time, availability of the shortwave
 drop in the small-signal photo-e.m.f. is related with limitation of the efficient rate
 of surface recombination Seff(l) due to diffusion inflow.
 The latter takes place when a layer with the thickness dp and increased recombination is
 available near illuminated surface. In this case, the mechanism providing decrease in the
 small-signal photo-e.m.f. in the area of strong light absorption is related with increasing
 the efficient rate of surface recombination near the front surface, when the dominant
 amount of electro-hole pairs is generated in the layer with the increased recombination
 rate. The same mechanism is responsible for the short-circuit current drop in solar cells
 with back barriers and contact metallization.
 Juxtaposition of theoretical and experimental results enabled to determine parameters
 that characterize sub-surface properties of solar cells, namely: the thickness of the
 surface layer with increased recombination, lifetime of carriers in it, and dependences
 Seff(l).