Design criteria for Si point-contact concentrator solar cells

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · IEEE Trans. Electron Devices; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/T-ED.1987.23205· OSTI ID:5204282

Sinton, R A; Swanson, R M

Design criteria for concentrator solar cells are presented for the highly three-dimensional case of backside point-contact solar cells. A recent new experimental result, a 28-percent efficient cell (25/sup 0/C, 15-Wcm/sup 2/ incident power) is used as a case study of the dependences of the recombination components and the carrier density gradients on the geometrical design parameters. The optimum geometry is found to depend upon the intended design power density as well as the attainable physical parameters allowed by the fabrication techniques utilized. Modeling projections indicate that an ultimate efficiency of 30.6 percent (36 Wcm/sup 2/, 300 K) is achievable using the diffused emitters presently employed on these cells. Incorporation of results from the study pf polycrystalline emitters could improve these efficiencies toward 31.7 percent.

• Research Organization: Stanford Electronics Labs., Stanford, CA 94305 (US)
• OSTI ID: 5204282
• Journal Information: IEEE Trans. Electron Devices; (United States), Vol. ED-34:10
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
DESIGN
CARRIER DENSITY
EFFICIENCY
FABRICATION
GEOMETRY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PHOTON EMISSION
POLYCRYSTALS
POWER DENSITY
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
CRYSTALS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EMISSION
EQUIPMENT
MATHEMATICS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
360603 - Materials- Properties