Low frequency noise in polycrystalline p-β-FeSi2/Ge heterojunction solar cells

Low-frequency noise characterization of ITO/p-β-FeSi2(Al)/Al/n-Ge(100) heterojunction solar cells is reported. 1/f noise and stress-induced degradation studies are used for the reliability analyses of solar cells. The nature of the burst noise generated from the defects in the p-n junction space-charge region of the solar cell and their bias dependence have been studied in detail. Use of low-frequency noise is shown to be a non-destructive reliability characterization tool for solar cells.