TY - JOUR

T1 - Electronically stimulated degradation of crystalline silicon solar cells

AU - Schmidt, J.

AU - Bothe, K.

AU - Macdonald, D.

AU - Adey, J.

AU - Jones, R.

AU - Palmer, D. W.

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - Carrier lifetime degradation in crystalline silicon solar cells under illumination with white light is a frequently observed phenomenon. Two main causes of such degradation effects have been identified in the past, both of them being electronically driven and both related to the most common acceptor element, boron, in silicon: (i) the dissociation of iron-boron pairs and (ii) the formation of recombination-active boron-oxygen complexes. While the first mechanism is particularly relevant in metal-contaminated solar-grade multicrystalline silicon materials, the latter process is important in monocrystalline Czochralski-grown silicon, rich in oxygen. This paper starts with a short review of the characteristic features of the two processes. We then briefly address the effect of iron-boron dissociation on solar cell parameters. Regarding the boron-oxygen-related degradation, the current status of the physical understanding of the defect formation process and the defect structure are presented. Finally, we discuss different strategies for effectively avoiding the degradation.

AB - Carrier lifetime degradation in crystalline silicon solar cells under illumination with white light is a frequently observed phenomenon. Two main causes of such degradation effects have been identified in the past, both of them being electronically driven and both related to the most common acceptor element, boron, in silicon: (i) the dissociation of iron-boron pairs and (ii) the formation of recombination-active boron-oxygen complexes. While the first mechanism is particularly relevant in metal-contaminated solar-grade multicrystalline silicon materials, the latter process is important in monocrystalline Czochralski-grown silicon, rich in oxygen. This paper starts with a short review of the characteristic features of the two processes. We then briefly address the effect of iron-boron dissociation on solar cell parameters. Regarding the boron-oxygen-related degradation, the current status of the physical understanding of the defect formation process and the defect structure are presented. Finally, we discuss different strategies for effectively avoiding the degradation.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=30644476748&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1557/proc-864-e6.1

DO - 10.1557/proc-864-e6.1

M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:30644476748

VL - 864

SP - 221

EP - 232

JO - Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings

JF - Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings

SN - 0272-9172

M1 - E6.1

T2 - 2005 materials Research Society Spring Meeting

Y2 - 28 March 2005 through 1 April 2005

ER -