Lamella Silicon Solar Cell under Both Temperature and Magnetic Field: Width Optimum Determination

Abstract

This work deals with determining the optimum thickness of the lamella wafer of silicon solar cell. The (p) base region makes up the bulk of the thickness of the wafer. This thickness has always been a factor limiting the performance of the solar cell, as it produces the maximum amount of electrical charges, contributing to the photocurrent. Determining the thickness of the wafer cannot be only mechanical. It takes into account the internal physical mechanisms of generation-diffusion-recombination of excess minority carriers. They are also influenced by external factors such as temperature and magnetic field. Under these conditions, magneto transport equation is required to be applied on excess minority carrier in lamella base silicon solar cell. It yields maximum diffusion coefficient which result on Lorentz law and Umklapp process. Then from photocurrent, back surface recombination velocity expressions are derived, both maximum diffusion coefficient and thickness dependent. The plot of the back surface recombination calibration curves as function of lamella width, leads to its maximum values, trough intercept points. Lamella optimum width is then obtained, both temperature and magnetic field dependent and expressed in relationships to show the required base thickness in the elaboration process.