Silicon solar cell efficiency - Practice and promise.

The maximum efficiency of silicon solar cells is calculated and yields a value near 18%. Additionally, the performance of these high efficiency cells in a synchronous orbit radiation field is calculated and indicates that these cells would be superior to present silicon cells at all times. The performance of conventional cells is analyzed and several areas in which performance gains may be achieved are discussed. These areas include improvements in diffused region profile, in reduction of excess forward currents in cells made from low resistivity material and in the theory for describing complex solar cell structures.