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The program is discussed which was initiated to formulate standard silicon solar cell and cover specifications. The program includes (1) compilation of solar cell and cover specifications, both past and present (2) elicitation of inputs from major users and suppliers and (3) establishment of tentative standardized solar cell and cover specifications.
Difficulties in relating observed current-voltage characteristics of individual silicon solar cells to their physical and material parameters were underscored by the unexpected large changes in the current-voltage characteristics telemetered back from solar cells on the ATS-1 spacecraft during their first year in synchronous orbit. Depletion region recombination was studied in cells exhibiting a clear double-exponential dark characteristic by subjecting the cells to proton irradiation. A significant change in the saturation current, an effect included in the Sah, Noyce, Shockley formulation of diode current resulting from recombination in the depletion region, was caused by the introduction of shallow levels in the depletion region by the proton irradiation. This saturation current is not attributable only to diffusion current from outside the depletion region and only its temperature dependence can clarify its origin. The current associated with the introduction of deep-lying levels did not change significantly in these experiments.
Recent progress in thin (2-4 mils, 50-100 microns) silicon solar cells which extends the capability of the cells into areas of use for possible space missions is reviewed. The production of thin flexible arrays using wrapped-around junction and wrapped-around contact cells is considered. Attention is also given to the formation of cells with very low solar absorptance (alpha-s less than 0.66) through changes in the AR coating, changes in front contact area, and maximizing cell efficiency.
The effect of silicon film thickness on the energy conversion efficiency of a back surface field solar cell is investigated. A computer-aided design study on the dependence of efficiency peaks on the concentrations of the recombination and dopant impurities is presented. The illuminated current voltage characteristics of over 100 cell designs were obtained using the transmission line circuit model to numerically solve the Shockley Equations. Using an AM1 efficiency of 17% as a target value, it is shown that the efficiency versus thickness dependence has a broad maximum which varies less than 1% over more than three-to-one range of cell thickness from 30 to 100 microns. Optical reflecting back surface will give only a slight improvement of AM1 efficiency, about 0.7%, in this thickness range. The sensitive dependence of efficiency on patchiness across the back surface field, low high junction in thin cells is noted.
The state of the art in the growth of silicon crystals for high-efficiency solar cells are reviewed, sheet requirements are defined, and furture areas of research are identified. Silicon sheet material characteristics that limit cell efficiencies and yields were described as well as the criteria for the ideal sheet-growth method. The device engineers wish list to the material engineer included: silicon sheet with long minority carrier lifetime that is uniform throughout the sheet, and which doesn't change during processing; and sheet material that stays flat throughout device processing, has uniform good mechanical strength, and is low cost. Impurities in silicon solar cells depreciate cell performance by reducing diffusion length and degrading junctions. The impurity behavior, degradation mechanisms, and variations in degradation threshold with diffusion length for silicon solar cells were described.
The open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current of large-grain (1 to 10 mm grain diameter) polycrystalline silicon solar cells is determined by the minority-carrier diffusion length within the bulk of the grains. This was demonstrated by irradiating polycrystalline and single-crystal (Czochralski) silicon solar cells with 1 MeV electrons to reduce their bulk lifetime. The variation of short-circuit current with minority-carrier diffusion length for the polycrystalline solar cells is identical to that of the single-crystal solar cells. The open-circuit voltage versus short-circuit current characteristic of the polycrystalline solar cells for reduced diffusion lengths is also identical to that of the single-crystal solar cells. The open-circuit voltage of the polycrystalline solar cells is a strong function of quasi-neutral (bulk) recombination, and is reduced only slightly, if at all, by grain-boundary recombination.
Development of computer program to predict performance from specified cell characteristics in lithium-diffused silicon solar cells
Results of the 14th quarterly report are presented for a program designed to assess the effects of impurities, thermochemical processes and any impurity process interactions on the performance of terrestrial silicon solar cells. The Phase 3 effort encompasses: (1) potential interactions between impurities and thermochemical processing of silicon; (2) impurity-cell performance relationships in n-base silicon; (3) effect of contaminants introduced during silicon production, refining or crystal growth on cell performance; (4) effects of nonuniform impurity distributions in large area silicon wafers; and (5) a preliminary study of the permanence of impurity effects in silicon solar cells.
A development program was performed for evaluating, modifying, and optimizing the Lockheed formulated liquid transparent filmforming Spraylon fluorocarbon protective coating for silicon solar cells and modules. The program objectives were designed to meet the requirements of the low-cost automated solar cell array fabrication process. As part of the study, a computer program was used to establish the limits of the safe working stress in the coated silicon solar cell array system under severe thermal shock.
Numerical solutions were obtained from the exact one dimensional transmission line circuit model to study the following effects on the terrestrial performance of silicon solar cells: interband Auger recombination; surface recombination at the contact interfaces; enhanced metallic impurity solubility; diffusion profiles; and defect-impurity recombination centers. Thermal recombination parameters of titanium impurity in silicon were estimated from recent experimental data. Based on those parameters, computer model calculations showed that titanium concentration must be kept below 6x10 to the 12th power Ti/cu cm in order to achieve 16% AM1 efficiency in a silicon solar cell of 250 micrometers thick and 1.5 ohm-cm resistivity.
It may be more cost-effective to produce larger diameter silicon Cz solar cells. However, greater thickness is anticipated to be necessary for larger diameter wafers to withstand wafering, cell processing and handling. No material standard for these dimensional requirements is practical or cost-effective for cell manufacturers. The equations relating wafer thickness and diameter were derived by using fracture mechanics analysis. An analytical model was used as a guideline to estimate thickness versus diameter requirements of silicon solar cells in terms of fracture mechanics parameters.
Comparison between cemented and soldered cover glass for radiation protection of silicon solar cells
Electrode connection for n-on-p silicon solar cell
Fluorinated ethylene-propylene-A (FEP-A) covers on silicon solar cells were irradiated with 1-MeV electrons, in vacuum, to an accumulated fluence equivalent to approximately 28 years in synchronous orbit. The effect of irradiation on the light transmittance of FEP-A was checked by measuring the short-circuit current of the cells after each dose increment. The results indicate no apparent overall loss in transmission due to irradiation of FEP-A. Filter wheel measurements revealed some darkening of the FEP-A at the blue end of the spectrum. Although no delamination from the cell surface was observed while in vacuum, embrittlement of FEP-A occurred at the accumulated dose.
Specific power output and radiation resistance characteristics developed for thin film silicon solar cells are reported. The technological base for fabricating these high efficiency cells and limitations of cell photovoltage are included. In addition, optical and electronic measurement instrumentation and mathematical analyses aids are included. Antireflection coatings for these cells are discussed.
The defect responsible for reverse annealing in 2 ohm/cm n(+)/p silicon solar cells was identified. This defect, with energy level at e sub v + 0.30 eV was tentatively identified as a boron oxygen-vacancy complex. Results indicate that its removal could result in significant annealing for 2 ohm/cm and lower resistivity cells at temperatures as low as 200 C. These results were obtained by use of an expression derived from the Shockley-Read-Hall recombination theory which relates measured diffusion length ratios to relative defect concentrations and electron capture cross sections. The relative defect concentrations and one of the required capture cross sections are obtained from Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy. Four additional capture cross sections are obtained using diffusion length data and data from temperature dependent lifetime studied. These calculated results are in reasonable agreement with experimental data.
Attention is given to recent work at COMSAT Laboratories on improving silicon solar cell efficiencies and open-circuit voltages for both high (more than 1000 ohm-cm) and low (less than 1 ohm-cm) resistivities. It is noted that open-circuit voltages above 650 mV have been obtained for 0.1 ohm-cm cells and that air mass zero efficiencies of 12.5% have been measured from 4-mil 1,250 ohm-cm.
The radiation tolerance of the following three low resistivity, high voltage silicon solar cells was investigated: (1) the COMSAT MSD (multi-step diffused) cell, (2) the MinMIS cell, and (3) the MIND cell. A description of these solar cells is given along with drawings of their configurations. The diffusion length damage coefficients for the cells were calculated and presented. Solar cell spectral response was also discussed. Cells of the MinMIS type were judged to be unsuitable for use in the space radiation environment.