Analysis of radiation hardness of rear-surface passivated germanium photovoltaic cells

In this study the radiation hardness of germanium solar cells is examined. The end-of-life (EOL) irradiation dose corresponds to 1 MeV electrons at a fluence of 1 × 10 15 cm -2 . Different solar cell technologies are analyzed comprising state-of-the-art Ge solar cells with a highly doped p = 1 × 10...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hoheisel, R., Fernandez, J., Dimroth, F., Bett, A.W.
Format: Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Subjects:
Germanium
Photovoltaic cells
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Summary:In this study the radiation hardness of germanium solar cells is examined. The end-of-life (EOL) irradiation dose corresponds to 1 MeV electrons at a fluence of 1 × 10 15 cm -2 . Different solar cell technologies are analyzed comprising state-of-the-art Ge solar cells with a highly doped p = 1 × 10 17 cm -3 base layer. Additionally, a set of rear-side passivated Ge solar cells with different base layer doping concentrations in the range of p = 1-4 × 10 16 cm -3 are investigated. These structures benefit from an increased current-density which results from significantly larger diffusions lengths. Thus, carriers which are generated through the indirect absorption transition deep in the bulk material are able to diffuse to the front-side pn-junction. Measurements are presented showing that the quantum efficiency related to the direct and indirect absorption transition of the Ge solar cell is differently affected by electron irradiation.
ISSN:0160-8371
DOI:10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411151