Abstract
Several recent papers have discussed the ultimate limits to the efficiencies of Si concentrator solar cells due to the effects of fundamental bulk Auger recombination [1]. Experimental results from backside point contact concentrator solar cells indicate that this Auger recombination is already impacting efficiencies by reducing the quantum efficiencies at high concentrations of sunlight ELS well as imposing upper limits to the open circuit voltage [2]. In this paper, a device is presented which was designed to measure this recombination using open circuit voltage decay and steady state illuminated measurements. The Auger coefficient was found to be 1.66×10-30 cm6/sec in the carrier density range of interest to solar cells, 1015 to 2×l017 carriers/cm3. This is 4 times higher than commonly assumed and will impact the design and performance of Si solar cells.
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References
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© 1987 ECSC, EEC, EAEC, Brussels and Luxembourg
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Sinton, R.A., Swanson, R.M. (1987). Limiting Recombination in Si Concentrator Solar Cells. In: Goetzberger, A., Palz, W., Willeke, G. (eds) Seventh E.C. Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3817-5_163
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3817-5_163
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