Light-induced degradation in undoped hydrogenated amorphous silicon films studied by the surface photovoltage technique: A comparison of lifetime versus space-charge effects

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.341888· OSTI ID:7243632

Hegedus, S S; Lin, H; Moore, A R

The calculation of the space-charge density under illumination from surface photovoltage measurements has been adapted to analyze light-soaking experiments in intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). We find that the positive space-charge densities increase and the space-charge widths decrease with light exposure while very little change occurs in the hole diffusion length. These results indicate that changes in electric field distribution with light soaking are important causes of degradation of amorphous silicon solar cells, rather than changes which may ocur in the hole diffusion length. We also review and discuss results of others regarding application of the surface photovoltage (SPV) to study light-induced phenomena, evidence of two different types of light-induced defects, and potential limitations of SPV in a-Si:H.

• Research Organization: Institute of Energy Conversion, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716
• OSTI ID: 7243632
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Vol. 64:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
SILICON
CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
SPACE CHARGE
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
LIFETIME
AMORPHOUS STATE
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
DEPLETION LAYER
DIFFUSION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDROGENATION
P-N JUNCTIONS
PERFORMANCE
TRAPPING
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DATA
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
INFORMATION
JUNCTIONS
LAYERS
NUMERICAL DATA
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOELECTROMAGNETIC EFFECTS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
RADIATION TRANSPORT
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SEMIMETALS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
360603 - Materials- Properties