Anomalous effects in silicon solar cell irradiated by 1-MeV protons

Journal Article · Fri Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Journal of Applied Physics; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.344234· OSTI ID:5624599

Kachare, R; Anspaugh, B E ^[1]

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1. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109 (US)

Several silicon solar cells having thicknesses of approximately 63 {mu}m, with and without back-surface fields (BSF), were irradiated with 1-MeV protons having fluences between 10{sup 10} and 10{sup 12} protons/cm{sup 2}. The irradiations were performed using both normal and isotropic incidence on the rear surfaces of the cells. It was observed that after irradiation with fluences greater than 10{sup 11} protons/cm{sup 2}, all BSF cells degraded at a faster rate than cells without BSF. The irradiation results are analyzed using a model in which irradiation-induced defects in the BSF region are taken into account. A number of other possibilities for BSF cell degradation are considered. Tentatively, it is concluded that an increase in defect density due to the formation of aluminum and proton complexes in BSF cells is responsible for the higher-power loss in the BSF cells compared to the non-BSF cells.

• OSTI ID: 5624599
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics; (USA) Vol. 66:6; ISSN 0021-8979; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
BARYONS
COLLISIONS
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY RANGE
EQUIPMENT
FERMIONS
HADRONS
ION COLLISIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEV RANGE
MEV RANGE 01-10
NUCLEONS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PROTONS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT