PC-1D modeling of depletion layer recombination in GaAs solar cells

Theoretical studies of current-loss mechanisms in GaAs solar cells using PC-1D are presented. The contribution to current-voltage characteristics of depletion-layer recombination via traps at various locations in the forbidden gap has been modeled using PC-1D. The results of these studies are used to interpret experimental data for high-efficiency GaAs solar cells. It is found that the double-mechanism characteristic observed for high-efficiency GaAs cells can usually be interpreted in terms of two mechanisms acting in parallel, one due to recombination via a midgap trap with n=2 and another at higher voltages due to emitter/base recombination with n=1, or a component characterized by n on the order of 1.1 to 1.5 due to recombination via a trap located between midgap and the conduction or valence band edge.<
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