Predicted effects of gamma and neutron irradiation on silicon solar cells

Numerical analysis of the characteristics of silicon solar cells under-ray or fast neutron irradiation is presented. The degradation of spectral response, short-circuit current, maximum power, open-circuit voltage and curve power factor are discussed. The calculation is based on estimating the minority carrier lifetime by the Shockley-Read equation, assuming the introduction rate, capture cross-section and the energy level to be equal to those of various predominant recombination centres, such as E-centre (phosphorus-vacancy complex), A-centre (oxygen-vacancy complex) and J-centre (boron-vacancy complex) in-irradiated silicon single crystals. The simulated results show good agreement with experiment for N-type F·Z and C·Z bulk crystals with E-centres, and for P-type C·Z bulk crystal with J-centres.