HIGH EFFICIENCY SILICON SOLAR CELLS

Abstract

Preliminary experiments were performed on N/P and P/N cells having various junction depths to determine the effects of light intensity on cell performance for various cell configurations. Preliminary results indicated that cells diffused twice as long as standard production-type cells operate more efficiently at the higher solar intensities. The shallow diffused cells had higher short circuit currents indicating higher potential efficiencies with the use of optimized grid designs to further reduce series resistance. Theoretical calculations were carried out to determine the optimum grid configuration for shallow-diffused cells. Results indicated that the optimum grid spacing is very insensitive to changes in light level if all other variables are held constant. The grid spacing does, however, change significantly with various A-factor values. Possibly through this mechanism the optimized grid spacing changes as a function of light level. A detailed solar cell equivalent series resistance circuit is presented. Studies were made to determine where the cell series resistance is located and which locations are more important with respect to the reduction of the total series resistance.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 15, 1962
Accession Number
AD0295056

Entities

People

  • G. W. Perry
  • Paul A. Berman
  • Roland J. Handy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cells
  • Compound Semiconductors
  • Contracts
  • Crystal Structure
  • Electronics
  • Electronics Laboratories
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Radiation
  • Resistance
  • Semiconductor Devices
  • Semiconductors
  • Short Circuits
  • Solar Cells
  • Solar Energy
  • Standards

Readers

  • Electronics Engineering
  • Oncology (Cancer Research).
  • Semiconductor Device Technology

Technology Areas

  • Space