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Bandtail Limits to Solar Conversion Efficiencies in Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

K. Zhu ,
J. Yang ,
W. Wang ,
E. A. Schiff ,
J. Liang  and
S. Guha
K. Zhu
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244-1130
J. Yang
Affiliation:
United Solar Systems Corp., 1100 West Maple Rd., Troy, MI 48084
W. Wang
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244-1130
E. A. Schiff*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244-1130
J. Liang
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244-1130
S. Guha
Affiliation:
United Solar Systems Corp., 1100 West Maple Rd., Troy, MI 48084
*
*corresponding author; easchiff@syr.edu
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Abstract

We describe a model for a-Si:H based pin solar cells derived primarily from valence bandtail properties. We show how hole drift-mobility measurements and measurements of the temperature-dependence of the open-circuit voltage VOC can be used to estimate the parameters, and we present VOC(T) measurements. We compared the power density under solar illumination calculated with this model with published results for as-deposited a-Si:H solar cells. The agreement is within 4% for a range of thicknesses, suggesting that the power from as-deposited cells is close to the bandtail limit.

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References

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