Emitter-Base Coupling in Highly Illuminated Solar Cells and Applications in OCVD Technique

Abstract

The effect of emitter-base coupling between the excess carrier concentrations at the junction during open-circuit voltage decay in a n*-p silicon solar cell when including recombination processes in both emitter and base under low or high injection condition, is considered. A general resolution of the continuity differential equation is performed and manageable expressions of minority carrier densities, for any cell structure, are derived. The theory yields a description of time variation of the junction voltage at the very beginning of the OCVD. Measurements of carrier lifetimes with the OCVD method have to take into account this result.