Light and elevated temperature induced degradation and recovery of gallium-doped Czochralski-silicon solar cells
Abstract The fast-firing step commonly applied at the end of solar cell production lines is known to trigger light-induced degradation effects on solar cells made on different silicon materials. In this study, we examine degradation phenomena on high-efficiency solar cells with poly-Si passivating c...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11831-3 |
| _version_ | 1811341322837032960 |
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| author | Michael Winter Dominic C. Walter Byungsul Min Robby Peibst Rolf Brendel Jan Schmidt |
| author_facet | Michael Winter Dominic C. Walter Byungsul Min Robby Peibst Rolf Brendel Jan Schmidt |
| author_sort | Michael Winter |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The fast-firing step commonly applied at the end of solar cell production lines is known to trigger light-induced degradation effects on solar cells made on different silicon materials. In this study, we examine degradation phenomena on high-efficiency solar cells with poly-Si passivating contacts made on Ga-doped Czochralski-grown silicon (Cz-Si) base material under one-sun illumination at elevated temperatures ranging from 80 to 160 °C. The extent of degradation is demonstrated to increase with the applied temperature up to 140 °C. Above 140 °C, the degradation extent decreases with increasing temperature. The degradation of the energy conversion efficiency can be ascribed foremost to a reduction of the short-circuit current and the fill factor and to a lesser extent to a reduction of the open-circuit voltage. The extent of degradation at 140 °C amounts to 0.4%abs of the initial conversion efficiency of 22.1% compared to 0.15%abs at 80 °C. The extent of the efficiency degradation in the examined solar cells is significantly lower (by a factor of ~ 5) compared to solar cells made on B-doped Cz-Si wafers. Importantly, through prolonged illumination at elevated temperatures (e.g. 5 h, 1 sun, 140 °C), an improvement of the conversion efficiency by up to 0.2%abs compared to the initial value is achievable in combination with a permanent regeneration resulting in long-term stable conversion efficiencies above 22%. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:54:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-11f7043dc3104914baf12a1b628bb4fa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:54:13Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-11f7043dc3104914baf12a1b628bb4fa2022-12-22T02:34:18ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-05-011211810.1038/s41598-022-11831-3Light and elevated temperature induced degradation and recovery of gallium-doped Czochralski-silicon solar cellsMichael Winter0Dominic C. Walter1Byungsul Min2Robby Peibst3Rolf Brendel4Jan Schmidt5Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH)Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH)Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH)Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH)Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH)Institute for Solar Energy Research Hamelin (ISFH)Abstract The fast-firing step commonly applied at the end of solar cell production lines is known to trigger light-induced degradation effects on solar cells made on different silicon materials. In this study, we examine degradation phenomena on high-efficiency solar cells with poly-Si passivating contacts made on Ga-doped Czochralski-grown silicon (Cz-Si) base material under one-sun illumination at elevated temperatures ranging from 80 to 160 °C. The extent of degradation is demonstrated to increase with the applied temperature up to 140 °C. Above 140 °C, the degradation extent decreases with increasing temperature. The degradation of the energy conversion efficiency can be ascribed foremost to a reduction of the short-circuit current and the fill factor and to a lesser extent to a reduction of the open-circuit voltage. The extent of degradation at 140 °C amounts to 0.4%abs of the initial conversion efficiency of 22.1% compared to 0.15%abs at 80 °C. The extent of the efficiency degradation in the examined solar cells is significantly lower (by a factor of ~ 5) compared to solar cells made on B-doped Cz-Si wafers. Importantly, through prolonged illumination at elevated temperatures (e.g. 5 h, 1 sun, 140 °C), an improvement of the conversion efficiency by up to 0.2%abs compared to the initial value is achievable in combination with a permanent regeneration resulting in long-term stable conversion efficiencies above 22%.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11831-3 |
| spellingShingle | Michael Winter Dominic C. Walter Byungsul Min Robby Peibst Rolf Brendel Jan Schmidt Light and elevated temperature induced degradation and recovery of gallium-doped Czochralski-silicon solar cells Scientific Reports |
| title | Light and elevated temperature induced degradation and recovery of gallium-doped Czochralski-silicon solar cells |
| title_full | Light and elevated temperature induced degradation and recovery of gallium-doped Czochralski-silicon solar cells |
| title_fullStr | Light and elevated temperature induced degradation and recovery of gallium-doped Czochralski-silicon solar cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Light and elevated temperature induced degradation and recovery of gallium-doped Czochralski-silicon solar cells |
| title_short | Light and elevated temperature induced degradation and recovery of gallium-doped Czochralski-silicon solar cells |
| title_sort | light and elevated temperature induced degradation and recovery of gallium doped czochralski silicon solar cells |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11831-3 |
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