Design of quasi-grain-boundary-free (qgbf) polycrystalline solar cells

Journal Article · Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981 · Electron Device Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/EDL.1981.25374· OSTI ID:5560411

Gonzalez, F N; Neugroschel, A

A new solar cell structure is proposed which will increase the efficiency of polycrystalline solar cells by suppressing or completely eliminating the recombination losses due to the presence of grain boundaries. This is achieved by avoiding the formation of the p-n junction (or other types of junctions) in the grain boundaries and by eliminating the grain boundaries from the active area of the cell. This basic concept can be applied to any polycrystalline material; however, it will be most beneficial for cost-effective materials of the future, i.e., materials having small grains, including thin film materials. The concept is demonstrated to be technologically achievable. 13 refs.

• Research Organization: Univ of Fla, Gainesville
• OSTI ID: 5560411
• Journal Information: Electron Device Lett.; (United States), Vol. EDL-2:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR CELLS
DESIGN
POLYCRYSTALS
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
P-N JUNCTIONS
RECOMBINATION
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EQUIPMENT
JUNCTIONS
MICROSTRUCTURE
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion