Efficiency considerations for polycrystalline GaAs thin-film solar cells

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.337665· OSTI ID:5749833

Yamaguchi, M; Itoh, Y

The effect of grain boundaries upon the efficiency of polycrystalline GaAs thin-film solar cells is analyzed. Solar-cell properties are calculated on a simple model where grain boundaries act as recombination centers to reduce the minority-carrier diffusion length in the solar cell's active layer and increase the space-charge layer recombination current. An effective diffusion length is expressed in terms of grain size, allowing the calculation of short-circuit current density and open-circuit voltage. Excellent agreement is obtained between theory and experiment. The fabrication of thin-film GaAs solar cells with an efficiency greater than 18% appears to be possible if the grain size in the thin-film GaAs layer with thickness of 3 ..mu..m is larger than 1000 ..mu..m.

• Research Organization: NTT Electrical Communications Laboratories, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-11, Japan
• OSTI ID: 5749833
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 60:1; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CHARGE CARRIERS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
CURRENT DENSITY
DATA
DIFFUSION LENGTH
DIMENSIONS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRICAL FAULTS
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FABRICATION
FILMS
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
GRAIN SIZE
INFORMATION
LENGTH
MICROSTRUCTURE
NUMERICAL DATA
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PNICTIDES
POLYCRYSTALS
RECOMBINATION
SIZE
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
THICKNESS
THIN FILMS