Correcting For Capacitance In Tests Of Solar Cells

Abstract

Modified procedure for testing solar photovoltaic cells and modified software for processing test data provide corrections for effects of cell capacitance. Procedure and software needed because (a) some photovoltaic devices (for example, silicon solar cells with back-surface field region) store minority charge carriers in cell junction and thus exhibit significant capacitance, (b) capacitance affects current-vs.-voltage (I-V) measurements made when transient load connected to cell, and (c) transient load used in unmodified version of test procedure. Corrected I-V curve obtained in test of solar cell according to modified procedure approximates true cell voltage vs. cell current more closely.