Dependence of minority carrier diffusion length on illumination level and temperature in single crystal and polycrystalline Si solar cells

Abstract

The minority carrier diffusion length L has been measured in the intensity range 0–200 mw cm−2 in the base region of diffused junction n+p single crystal and polycrystalline Si solar cells at various ambient temperatures (77–335 K). It has been found that L increases monotonically with intensity at low temperatures in both types of cells. However, in case of single-crystal cells, it shows a peak at an intensity ∼0.4 sun for temperatures above 200 K and further decreases with the increase of intensity. The results have been interpreted in the light of various recombination mechanisms involved.