PC-1D modeling of depletion layer recombination in GaAs solar cells

Author

Olsen, Larry ; Huber, Daniel ; Dunham, Glen ; Addis, F.

Author_Institution

Washington State Univ., Richland, WA, USA

fYear

1990

fDate

21-25 May 1990

Firstpage

415

Abstract

Theoretical studies of current-loss mechanisms in GaAs solar cells using PC-1D are presented. The contribution to current-voltage characteristics of depletion-layer recombination via traps at various locations in the forbidden gap has been modeled using PC-1D. The results of these studies are used to interpret experimental data for high-efficiency GaAs solar cells. It is found that the double-mechanism characteristic observed for high-efficiency GaAs cells can usually be interpreted in terms of two mechanisms acting in parallel, one due to recombination via a midgap trap with n=2 and another at higher voltages due to emitter/base recombination with n=1, or a component characterized by n on the order of 1.1 to 1.5 due to recombination via a trap located between midgap and the conduction or valence band edge

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; electron-hole recombination; electronic engineering computing; gallium arsenide; semiconductor device models; solar cells; GaAs solar cells; PC-1D; conduction band; current-loss mechanisms; current-voltage characteristics; depletion layer recombination; double-mechanism characteristic; emitter/base recombination; forbidden gap; midgap trap; semiconductor; traps; valence band edge; Equations; Finite element methods; Gallium arsenide; Photonic band gap; Photovoltaic cells; Radiative recombination; Silicon; Temperature distribution; Tunneling; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1990., Conference Record of the Twenty First IEEE

Conference_Location

Kissimmee, FL

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1990.111658

Filename

111658