The impact of interface recombination on the external quantum efficiency of silicon solar cells

Abstract

In various types of organic/inorganic solar cells, optical response enhancement is consistently observed within the external quantum efficiency spectra owing to the improvement in interface passivation and the suppression of carrier recombination. In this study, we focused on crystalline silicon solar cells and systematically investigated the impact of interface recombination on the optical response upon dual-side illumination using numerical simulations. The results shed light on the interesting phenomenon that the surface recombination velocity has a significant impact on the external quantum efficiency, and it changes as the illumination direction changes. Moreover, from a practical perspective, the spectra of external quantum efficiency under dual-side illumination conditions can act as a powerful tool for the quick diagnosis of the passivation quality at the top and bottom interfaces.