Ijettcs 2012 10 16 055

I nt ernat i onal Journal of E mergi ng Trends & Technol ogy i n Comput er Sci ence (I JE TTCS)
Web Site: www.ijettcs.org Email: editor@ijettcs.org, editorijettcs@gmail.com

Volume 1, Issue 3, September October 2012 ISSN 2278-6856

Vol ume 1 , I ssue 3 Sept ember -Oct ober 2 0 1 2 Page 5 5

Abstract: In this paper, we resolved the continuity equation
in the base of the bifacial n
+
-p-p
+
solar cell illuminated by its
front side. Photocurrent and short-circuit photocurrent
densities, photovoltage and open circuit photovoltage are
calculated and plotted. The intrinsic junction recombination
velocity (Sf0) and the effective back surface recombination
velocities are determined.
Simulation results showed that, the solar cell is characterized
by Sba and Sbi as specific values of the back surface
recombination velocity in short-circuit and in open circuit
operating conditions, respectively. We showed that when the
solar cell has Sbi or Sba as back surface recombination
velocity, low values of the thickness can be used for getting a
good efficiency of the solar cell because, in this case, the
thickness is without influence on solar cell response.
Keywords: intrinsic junction and back surface
recombination velocities, operating conditions, thickness
1. INTRODUCTION
Due to many characterization techniques [1]-[2]-[3]-[4]
used to increase the efficiency of the solar cell, some
recombination parameters which play paramount role are
increasingly controlled: solar cell thickness, junction
recombination velocity and the back surface
recombination velocity. The solar cells response depends
heavily on theses parameters.
The junction recombination velocity (Sf) is the sum of
two terms: Sfj and Sf
0
. Sfj is related to the external charge
and Sf
0
, the intrinsic junction recombination velocity is
related to the shunt resistance and the diode current at the
solar cells junction [5]-[6]-[7]. The back surface
recombination velocity (Sb) quantifies with good
accuracies losses at the rear side of the solar cell [8]-[9].
The thickness of the solar cell, as Sf and Sb, has a
significant impact on the short circuit photocurrent
density and the open circuit photovoltage as shown on
works presented by [10].
In our work, using the new approach of both junction and
back surface recombination velocity [6] we determine the
effective values of the intrinsic junction and back surface
recombination velocities, Sf
0
and Sb, respectively. We
also determine Sbi and Sba, effective surface
recombination velocities which characterize losses when
solar are operating in short- circuit and open circuit
conditions, respectively.
For this, we consider an n
+
-p-p
+
polycrystalline bifacial
solar cell illumined by its front side.

Figure 1: bifacial solar cell illuminated by its front side
2. THEORY
2.1 Assumptions:
- The solar cell emitter contribution to the global
photocurrent density is neglected comparatively
to the base one;
- A back Surface Field (BSF) solar cell is
considered and we neglected the crystalline field
in the base of the solar cell.
2.2 Minority carrier density
Considering these above assumptions, the continuity
equation of carriers distribution in the base of the solar
cell can be written as [10]:
( ) ( ) ( )
n
n
n
D
x G
L
x n
x
x n
=
c
c
2 2
2

(1)
In this equation, n(x) is the excess minority carrier
density in the base; D
n
is the electrons diffusion
coefficient and L
n
the electrons diffusion length.
Solar cells classification by the determination of
the specific values of the back surface
recombination velocities in open circuit and
short-circuit operating conditions
1
Ousmane Diasse,
2
Raguilnaba Seydou Sam,
3
Hawa Ly Diallo,
4
Mor Ndiaye,
5
Ndeye Thiam,
6
Senghane Mbodji and
7
Gregoire Sissoko

1,3,4,5,6,7
Laboratory of Semiconductors and Solar Energy, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Cheikh
Anta Diop University, Dakar, SENEGAL

2
Department of physics, Institute of Exact and Applied Sciences, Polytechnic University of Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

6
Department of physics, Alioune Diop University of Bambey, P.O Box 30 Bambey, SENEGAL



D
n
and L
n
are related by the relation
n n n
D L . =
n

is the electrons lifetime in the base.
G
n
is the generation rate of excess minority carriers in the
base and it is expressed as:
[10]:
( ) ( )

=
g
x
n
e r F x G
0
1
0

(2)
WhereF
0
is the photon flux of monochromatic light
incident for a wavelength;
g
(1.2m) is the cut off
wavelength of the semiconductor and
o
(0.3m) is the
minimum wavelength of the light polychromatic source.
These terms are calculated for the entire wavelength
spectrum between
0
and
g.
r

and o

are the reflection
coefficient of the front surface and absorption coefficient
for silicon at wavelength respectively and x is the
junction depth.
The general solution of the continuity equation (Eq.1) in
the steady state for excess minority carrier density can be
written as:

+ |
.
|
\
|
+ |
.
|
\
|
=
g
x
e K
L
x
B
L
x
A x n
0
sinh cosh ) (

(3)

A and B are determined by the boundary conditions at the
junction and at the rear side of the solar cell [11]:

At the junction:
( )
( ) 0 n Sf
x
x n
D
0 x n
=
c
c
=

(4)
At the rear side:
( )
( ) H n Sb
x
x n
D
H x n
=
c
c
=

(5)
Where, Sf is the junction recombination velocity [6, 7,
12]. Sf is expressed as the sum of two terms: Sf0 and Sfj.
Sf0 is related to the shunt resistance and Sfj characterize
the photocurrent losses at the external charge of solar
celSf = Sf0 + Sfj. With Sfj = 10j and j>0
H is the solar cell base thickness and Sb is the back
surface recombination velocity [8]-[9]
2.3 Photocurrent density
The photocurrent density of the solar cell is determined
from the density of minority carriers by the following
relationship [13]:
( )
( )
0
, ,
,
=
c
c
=
x n n
x
Sb Sf x n
D q Sb Sf J

(6)

2.4 Photovoltage
The Boltzmann relation gives us the photovoltage
expression [14]:
( ) ( ) |
.
|
\
|
+ =
=0 x
i
2
B
T ph
Sb Sf, x, n
n
N
1 ln V Sb Sf, V

(7)

With
V
q
KT
V
T
026 . 0 = =
, the thermal voltage at
temperature T=300K and K the Boltzmann constant; ni
the intrinsic carrier density; NB the base doping level.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 Short-circuit photocurrent density (Jsc)
As shown on our previous works, the short-circuit
photocurrent density can be calculated using the
photocurrent density evolution with the junction
recombination velocity Sf. If Sf>104cm.s-1 [5] we noted
that the photocurrent density reached to a maximum
value which is constant. Hence, Jsc is calculated when
Sf in the general expression of the photocurrent
density:
( ) ( ) ) H , Sb , Sf ( Jph
lim
H , Sb J
Sf
sc

=

(8)

We plotted in figure 2 and 3respectively the short-circuit
photocurrent density versus the back surface
recombination velocity Sb and the photocurrent density
versus the junction recombination velocity for different
values of the thickness H.

Figure 2: Short circuit photocurrent density versus the
back surface recombination velocity (Sb); L=0.01cm,
D=26cm
2
.s
-1

Figure 3: Photocurrent density versus the junction
recombination velocity (Sf);Sb=Sbi= 1002 cm.s
-1
,
L=0.01cm, D=26cm
2
.s
-1
We observe on figure 2 that for a given value of the base
thickness H and for Sb < 102 cm.s-1 and Sb > 104 cms-1,
the values of short-circuit photocurrent density is
constant. But when 102cm.s-1<Sb<104cm.s-1the short-
circuit photocurrent density decreases.


For a given thickness, short circuit photocurrent density
(Jsc) reached its maximum value for low values of Sb
(Sb< 102 cm.-1) and its minimum value for high values
of Sb characterized by Sb> 104 cm.s-1 as it is shown by
[10]
We also observed on Figure 2 that the variation of the
solar cell base thickness permits to define a particular
value of Sb named Sbi which allows classifying the solar
cell response.
When the solar cell has Sbi as back surface recombination
velocity, the short-circuit photocurrent density is the same
for any value of its thickness.
We noted that Jsc decreases with the increasing of the
base thickness H if Sb<Sbi and increases with H if
Sb>Sbi.
For the thin solar cells, the short-circuit current density is
higher for low values of Sb. When Sb is high, Jsc is more
important for thick solar cells.
Figure 3 show that when Sb is equal to Sbi, the thickness
has no influence on the photocurrent density. That is why,
the thickness must be minimized for getting a good
efficiency of the solar cell.
3.2 Open circuit photovoltage
Taking into account results of [6]-[13] the open circuit
photovoltage is expressed as:
( ) ( ) ) , (
lim
0
Sb Sf Vph Sb V
Sf
OC
=

(9)
The open circuit photovoltage is calculated when the
junction recombination velocity reaches to zero
corresponding to a null value of the photocurrent density.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrated respectively back surface
recombination velocity effect on the open circuit
photovoltage and the photovoltage versus junction
recombination velocity for different values of solar cell
base thickness, respectively

Figure 4: Open circuit voltage versus back sur-face
recombination velocity (Sb); L= 0.01cm, D= 26cm
2
.s
-1

We remarked on figure 4 that for a given value of solar
cell base thickness, the open circuit photovoltage (Voc)
reached its maximum value for low values of (Sb)
Sb<10
2
cm.s
-1
and decreases from
1 2
cm.s 10

to
1 4
cm.s 10

. Finally it becomes constant and reaches its
minimum value for higher values of Sb (Sb>10
4
cm.s
-1
).
Our simulation results agreed with [10] paper.

Figure 5: Photovoltage versus junction recom-bination
velocity (Sf); Sb=Sba=2508cm.s
-1
, L= 0.01cm, D=
26cm
2
.s
-1

We also notted that for low values of Sb, the open circuit
photovoltage decreases with base thickness but increases
with the base thickness for high values of Sb.
When the solar cell has Sba as back surface
recombination velocity, the open circuit photovoltage is
the same for any value of its thickness. Hence it is useful
for the solar cell to get Sba as back surface recombination
velocity because with this condition for any thickness, we
have the same response of the solar cell operating in open
circuit or in short-circuit conditions.
3.3 Intrinsic junction recombination velocity (Sf
0
)
determination
In previous studies, it appears that the photocurrent
density is constant for
1 4
cm.s 10 Sb

>

[6]-[15].
Hence, from this result which is a useful and well known
method to determine Sf
0,
we set:
0
Sb
J
=
c
c

(10)
The resolution of the equation (10), gives the following
expression:
( )
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
o
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
o |
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
o
=
=
=
=
=
o
=
=
o
=
=
o
=
=
o
=
=

45
1
45
1
x
45
1
x
45
1
x
45
1
x
45
1
0
K
L
H
sinh e K
L
H
cosh e K L
L
H
sinh e K D
L
H
cosh e K
L
D
K D
Sf

(11)
This expression is called the intrinsic junction
recombination velocity. It is related, as shown in other
paper [15], to losses at the junction by the shunt
resistance and diode current. For ideal solar cell, Sf
0

reached to zero and shunt resistance is low. But for the
real solar cell, Sf
0
has a significant value which can
negatively influence the efficiency of the solar.
In figure 6 below, we plotted the intrinsic junction
recombination velocity versus the diffusion length.
We observed on this curve that, for low values of
diffusion length, the intrinsic junction recombination
velocity is very high. This situation corresponds to high
value of shunt resistance and obviously to low values of
solar cell photocurrent and efficiency.
The low value of Sf
0
is obtained with high value of
diffusion length. This condition corresponds to the
decrease of intrinsic junction recombination velocity. It
means to the reduction of losses at the junction.


Figure 6: Intrinsic junction recombination velocity (Sf
0
)
versus diffusion length (L); H = 0.03cm, D = 26cm
2
.s
-1

3.4 Back side surface recombination velocity (Sb)
determination
Previous studies put in evidence that for the short-circuit
operating condition (Sf>10
4
cm.s
-1
), the photocurrent
density is constant [5]. We used this last operating
condition to calculate the back surface recombination
velocity (Sb). Thus the derivation of photocurrent density
with the junction recombination velocity is equal to zero
[6]-[15]:
0
Sf
J
=
c
c

(12)
The resolution of this equation gives two solutions
presented as show in equations (13) and (14) [15]:
|
.
|
\
|
=
L
H
L
D
Sb tanh
(13)

and
( )

=
=

=
=
=
=
=
=

=
=
=
=
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|
|
.
|
\
|

=
45
1
45
1
45
1
45
1
45
1
45
1
cosh sinh
cosh sinh

x
x
e K
L
H
K L
L
H
K
e K D
L
H
K
L
D
L
H
K D
Sb

(14)

The first equation (13) is only function of diffusion
parameters.
The second equation (14) is function to the diffusion and
excess minority carriers generation parameters. It
represents hence the effective back surface recombination
velocity Sb as it is shown by [15]

Figure 7: Back surface recombination velocity (Sb)
versus diffusion length (L);H = 0.03cm, D = 26cm
2
.s
-1

The back surface recombination velocity decreases with
the diffusion length (L); it reaches to a lower and
asymptotic value for large values of L.
Figure 7 permits to distinguish three categories of solar
cell:
- Those whose diffusion length is low,
corresponding to high effective back surface
recombination velocity and leading to important
recombination at the rear side of the solar cell.
These solar cells are ohmic[16];
- The second category concern solar cell with high
diffusion length. In this case, the back surface
recombination velocity is low; this situation
corresponds to less recombination at the solar
cells rear side. This category of solar cells is
called Back Surface Field (BSF) solar cells [17]-
[18];
- The third category concern solar cells which are not
ohmic or BSF ones. They are characterized by averages
values of diffusion length as shown by figure 5.
4. CONCLUSION
In the first part of this paper, we calculated the excess
minority carriers density, the photocurrent density and the
photovoltage expressions. From plots of short-circuit
photocurrent and open circuit photovoltage, we
determined two back surafce recombination velocity Sbi
and Sba. When the solar cell get one of these back side
recombination velocities, the thickness hasnt any effect
of solar cell response. Hence we can minimize the
thickness without turning down the efficiency.
In the second part of our paper, we calculated and
simulated the effective values of the intrinsic junction
(Sf
0
) and back surface recombination (Sb) velocities.
Their effective values are calculated using results of
photocurrent density versus Sf for the determination of Sb
and photocurrent density versus Sf for the determination
of Sb.
These two parameters are directly linked to the diffusion
length. Sf
0
and Sb decreases with the diffusion length and
confirmed that these two parameters translate losses and
recombination in the junction and at the rear side of the
solar cell, respectively. This last part of our work
permitted us to classify different types of solar cells.
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th
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I nt ernat i onal Journal of E mergi ng Trends & Technol ogy i n Comput er Sci ence (I JE TTCS)

Web Site: www.ijettcs.org Email: editor@ijettcs.org, editorijettcs@gmail.com

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