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Measurement of material parameters that limit the open-circuit voltage in P-N-junction silicon solar cellsThe greatest gains in solar energy conversion efficiency of p-n-junction silicon solar cells come from increasing the open-circuit voltage V sub OC; it is important to understand and characterize the material parameters that limit the V sub OC. Strong experimental evidence exists to support the assertion that either an anomalously large minority carrier charge storage or an anomalously small minority carrier lifetime in the quasi-neutral emitter region limits the open circuit voltage. A method is presented for measuring charge storage and effective lifetime. Static and transient measurements are analyzed using physical models of the solar cell characteristics. This analysis yields the emitter charge storage and life-time, which then can be related to the various physical mechanisms, such as energy band gap shrinkage, that have been proposed earlier as responsible for limiting V sub OC.
Document ID
19780005589
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Lindholm, F. A.
(Florida Univ. Gainesville, FL, United States)
Neugroschel, A.
(Florida Univ. Gainesville, FL, United States)
Sah, C. T.
(Illinois Univ. Urbana-Champaign, United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1977
Publication Information
Publication: NASA. Lewis Res. Center Solar Cell High Efficiency and Radiation Damage
Subject Category
Energy Production And Conversion
Accession Number
78N13532
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSG-3018
CONTRACT_GRANT: E(40-1)-5134
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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