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Defect analysis of crystalline Si solar cells by learning radiation-induced defects in Si

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Abstract

This paper presents analytical results for improving crystalline Si solar cells, analyzed using our knowledge in radiation-induced defects in Si. This study suggests that key issues for realizing higher performance Si solar cells are decrease in carbon concentration of less than 1 × 1014 cm−3. Defect introduction rates of Bi–O2i center induced by light illumination are compared with those of Bi–Oi center induced by 1-MeV electron irradiations in this study. Surface recombination velocity degradation of Si solar cells due to 1-MeV electron irradiations is compared with surface degradation of Si solar cells under light illumination by considering Pb center generation.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by the NEDO. The author thanks members in the NEDO and METI, and to Dr., H. Yamada, NEDO, Dr. Y. Hayashi, Dr. K. Nakamura and Dr. H. Lee, Toyota Tech. Inst., Prof. K. Arafune, Kobe Univ., Dr. H. Sai, AIST, Prof. K. Kakimoto, Kyushu Univ., Prof. A. Ogura and Prof. M. Tajima, Meiji Univ., Dr. T. Kojima, Nagoya Univ., Dr. K. Kashima, Global Wafers Japan for their cooperation and providing fruitful information.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Toyota Technological Institute, 2-12-1 Hisakata, Tempaku, Nagoya, 468-8511, Japan

    Masafumi Yamaguchi, Takefumi Kamioka, Nobuaki Kojima & Yoshio Ohshita

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  1. Masafumi Yamaguchi
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  2. Takefumi Kamioka
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  3. Nobuaki Kojima
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  4. Yoshio Ohshita
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Correspondence to Masafumi Yamaguchi.

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Yamaguchi, M., Kamioka, T., Kojima, N. et al. Defect analysis of crystalline Si solar cells by learning radiation-induced defects in Si. MRS Communications 11, 272–277 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43579-021-00043-x

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