Work

Adapting Solar Cells With Polysilicon Passivated Contacts to Radiation-Rich Environments

Year: 2024

Type: conference-paper

Abstract: In the context of increased space photovoltaic power needs and cost reduction pressures, silicon solar cells spark a new interest for space missions. This is even truer if the cost-effective mass-produced silicon technologies can be adapted to the specific constraints of the space environment. This study successfully demonstrated that cells with polycrystalline silicon-based passivated contacts could be adapted to the main prerequisites for space missions. Indeed, flexible and lightweight alternative polysilicon passivated contacts cells were prepared from gallium-doped substrates, with post-irradiation performances as good as those of conventional (thicker) PERC devices. The influence of the doping level was investigated. Low doping levels mitigate the radiation-induced degradation of the bulk carrier lifetime and therefore of the short-circuit current density, but result in lower open circuit voltages. Furthermore, it was shown that the surface and bulk hydrogenation step investigated in this study does not influence the post-irradiation effective carrier lifetime and its evolution under prolonged illumination in the temperature range 80°C-100°C (at least for the durations investigated here).

Source: SiliconPV Conference Proceedings

DOI: 10.52825/siliconpv.v2i.1289

Authors: Nicolas Enjalbert, Romain Cariou, Sébastien Dubois

Institutions: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Laboratoire d’Innovation pour les Technologies des Énergies Nouvelles et les nanomatériaux

Language: English

Topic: Silicon and Solar Cell Technologies

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Affordable and clean energy

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: European Space Agency