KEYWORDS: Silicon solar cells, High power lasers, Solar cells, Silicon, Laser irradiation, Pulsed laser operation, Electrodes, Lithium, Semiconductors, Beam splitters
Compared with traditional methods of energy supply, there is a great possibility to get a more remarkable enhancement of conversion efficiency for laser power (of proper wavelength and intensity) beaming to silicon solar cells. However, it should be noticed that cells may be damaged by high power laser. Based on the background, this essay explores high-power-laser's possible damage to silicon solar cells by analyzing IV curves (obtained by IV tester) and minority-carrier lifetime (measured by open-circuit-voltage-decay method). Research shows that, for 30s irradiation, minority-carrier lifetime decreases to some extent when irradiated by laser of over 5.5W/cm2 and the higher laser power density, the more degradation. Similarly, IV curves see a downward trend under laser of over 5.5W/cm2. In addition, there is a roughly linear relationship between lifetime and the decrease amount of short circuit current. Moreover, the degradation degree has a close relation with the maximum temperature. The prolonged illumination would not bring about more serious damage if one cell had already reached an equilibrium temperature.
KEYWORDS: Resistance, Silicon solar cells, Solar cells, Laser applications, Laser energy, Silicon, Temperature metrology, Power supplies, Electrodes, High power lasers
The properties of 915nm laser power beaming to monocrystal silicon solar cells are investigated by measuring IV curves, temperature and etc. With the illumination intensity increased from 0.04W/cm2 to 0.58W/cm2, short-circuit current increases almost linearly from 0.14A to a maximum value of 3.07A. While the maximum power output peaks at a lower irradiation intensity of 0.46W/cm2, which can be also regarded as a turning point where IV curves begin to deteriorate from normal ones to oblique lines. During the period, the fill factor decreases continuously from around 74% to a stable value of 25%. To understand the experiment more clearly, theoretical analyses are conducted by virtue of Lambert W function. Based on the analyses, it can be concluded that the primary culprits influencing the cell’s output performance are the temperature and series resistance.
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