Title:	Impact of Minority Carrier Lifetime and Temperature on SiC Based Rear Contact SiGe Solar Cell for Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) Applications
Author(s):	R. Pandey, A. Jain, A. Kumar, R. Chaujar
Keywords:	Solar Cell, Silicon Carbide, Photovoltaic (PV), SiGe, Atlas, Rear Contact
Topic:	New Materials and Concepts for Solar Cells and Modules
Subtopic:	New Materials and Concepts for Cells
Event:	32nd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
Session:	1BV.6.45
Pages:	270 - 273
ISBN:	3-936338-41-8
Paper DOI:	10.4229/EUPVSEC20162016-1BV.6.45
Price:	0,00 EUR
Document(s):	paper, poster

Abstract/Summary:

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In this work, the impact of material quality i.e. impact of minority carrier lifetime on SiC/Si3N4/SiO2 passivated 10μm thick rear contact SiGe solar cell have been obtained. Result shows, the photovoltaic parameters are less affected by minority carrier lifetimes (). Also, as changes from 10-2 s to 10-5 s, change in JSC, VOC, FF and PCE are 0.4%, 0.5%, 2.2% and 3.2%, respectively. Further, the application of rear contact SiGe solar cell for concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) has also been discussed. At 300 K operating temperature, we have obtained the open circuit voltages 627mV, 646mV and power conversion efficiencies of, 15.7%, 16% at 5-sun (0.5 W.cm-2) and 10-sun (1W.cm-2) conditions, respectively for SiC/Si3N4/SiO2 coated SiGe cell. This, results in 6.8 % and 8.8% higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) at the concentration levels of 5, 10 suns compared to 1-sun condition (14.7%, PCE). Also, under 10-sun illumination, 9the PCE of 16.4% and 16.1% at 20oC and 25oC temperature, respectively have been obtained. All the simulation have been done using Silvaco atlas device simulator.