Open-circuit photovoltage and charge recombination at semiconductor/liquid interfaces

Journal Article · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2054901· OSTI ID:7102100

Mao, D; Kim, K J; Frank, A J ^[1]

---

1. National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)

The open-circuit photovoltage (V[sub oc]) of semiconductor/liquid junction solar cells is a critical parameter in determining the energy conversion efficiency. A simple, quantitative relationship between the semiconductor surface recombination velocity (S[sub r]) and the open-circuit photovoltage (V[sub oc]) of photoelectrochemical systems was derived and verified experimentally. Experimental results obtained for the n-Si/acetone-FeCp[sub 2][sup +/0]-LiClO[sub 4] junction indicate that V[sub oc] is controlled by surface recombination. Quantitative analysis of the results using the derived expression yields values of the barrier height and S[sub r] that compare favorably with published data. Application of the equation to other semiconductor/liquid junction cells suggests that the expression may be important in evaluating and understanding the behavior of a wide range of photoelectrochemical systems.

• DOE Contract Number: AC36-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 7102100
• Journal Information: Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States) Vol. 141:5; ISSN JESOAN; ISSN 0013-4651
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140505* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photochemical
Photobiological
& Thermochemical Conversion-- (1980-)
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CHEMISTRY
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
EQUIPMENT
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM PERCHLORATES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERCHLORATES
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SOLAR EQUIPMENT