Photoinjected hot-electron damage in silicon point-contact solar cells

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.343592· OSTI ID:7024766

Gruenbaum, P E; King, R R; Swanson, R M ^[1]

---

1. Stanford Electronics Laboratories, Stanford, California 94305 (US)

Initial designs of single-crystal silicon point-contact solar cells have shown a degradation in their efficiency after being exposed to concentrated sunlight. The main mechanism appears to be an increase in recombination centers at the Si/SiO{sub 2} interface due to ultraviolet light photoinjecting electrons from the silicon conduction band into the silicon dioxide that passivates the cell's front surface. The instability of the interface is significantly worse if the oxide is grown in the presence of trichloroethane. Texturization of the surface also leads to more instability. A reasonably good resistance to ultraviolet can be created by putting a phosphorus diffusion at the surface, and can be improved further by stripping off the deposited oxide after the diffusion and regrowing a dry thermal oxide.

• OSTI ID: 7024766
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics; (USA) Vol. 66:12; ISSN 0021-8979; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYSTALS
DESIGN
DIFFUSION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
FERMIONS
INTERFACES
LEPTONS
MONOCRYSTALS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
RADIATIONS
RECOMBINATION
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SURFACES
TIME DEPENDENCE
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION