Hydrogen passivation of multi—crystalline silicon solar cells

The effects of hydrogen passivation on multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si) solar cells are reported in this paper. Hydrogen plasma was generated by means of ac glow discharge in a hydrogen atmosphere. Hydrogen passivation was carried out with three different groups of mc-Si solar cells after finishing contacts. The experimental results demonstrated that the photovoltaic performances of the solar cell samples have been improved after hydrogen plasma treatment, with a relative increase in conversion efficiency up to 10.6\%. A calculation modelling has been performed to interpret the experimental results using the model for analysis of microelectronic and photonic structures developed at Pennsylvania State University.     

Numerical simulation of solar cells based on III–V nitride compounds

In this paper, we developed a numerical calculation program, using Turbo Pascal, to determine the current–voltage characteristics of a $\hbox {N}^{+}\hbox {P}$ solar cells in order to find the main parameters influencing the conversion efficiency. We adopted a one-dimensional numerical model for the resolution of the three semiconductor equations, which are: the Poisson’s equation and the two continuity equations of electrons and holes. Our system of equations is written in term of $\varphi ,\, \varphi _{n}$ , and $\varphi _{p}$ , and it’s resolved using the finite difference method. This code enables us to draw the current density versus the voltage for different layer thicknesses, the conversion efficiency versus the minority carrier life time and the spectral response versus the wavelength. In order to compare the conversion efficiency of two different solar cells, we simulated a solar cell based on III–V nitride compounds $(\hbox {In}_\mathrm{x}\hbox {Ga}_{1-\mathrm{x}}\hbox {N})$ and a monocrystalline silicon solar cell.     

Influence of surface recombination and interface states on the performance of β-FeSi2/c-Si heterojunction solar cells

To explore the origin of low conversion efficiency for novel β-FeSi₂/c-Si heterojunction solar cells, the effect of surface recombination and interface states on the cell performance has been investigated by numerical simulation. The present results show that surface recombination of β-FeSi₂ film plays an important role in limiting the cell property since the photovoltaic behavior of β-FeSi₂ is quite sensitive to surface recombination due to its especial characteristic of very high optical absorption coefficient. Surface quality of β-FeSi₂ film should be much improved for better cell performance. In addition, it is shown that interface states between β-FeSi₂ film and crystalline silicon are critical to device characterization. Interface states should be minimized to obtain higher conversion efficiency. If surface recombination and interface states can be best suppressed, potential conversion efficiency for the cell may be up to 28.12% at 300 K under illumination of AM 1.5, 100 mW/cm².     

β-FeSi2 as the bottom absorber of triple-junction thin-film solar cells: A numerical study

Using β-FeSi2 as the bottom absorber of triple-junction thin-film solar cells is investigated by a numerical method for widening the long-wave spectral response. The presented results show that the β-FeSi2 subcell can contribute 0.273 V of open-circuit voltage to the a-Si/μc-Si/β-FeSi2 triple-junction thin-film solar cell. The optimized absorber thicknesses for a- Si, μ-Si, and/3-FeSi2 subcells are 260 nm, 900 nm, and 40 nm, respectively. In addition, the temperature coefficient of the conversion efficiency of the a-Si/μc-Si//3-FeSi2 cell is -0.308 %/K, whose absolute value is only greater than that of the a-Si subcell. This result indicates that the a-Si/μc-Si/β-FeSi2 triple-junction solar cell has a good temperature coefficient. As a result, using β-FeSi2 as the bottom absorber can improve the thin-film solar cell performance, and the a-Si/μc-Si/β-FeSi2 triple-junction solar cell is a promising structure configuration for improving the solar cell efficiency.     

Analysis of 1 MeV electron irradiation-induced performance degradation in the germanium bottom cell of triple-junction solar cells using temperature-dependent photoluminescence measurements

Abstract

Temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectra of the germanium bottom cell of triple-junction solar cells unirradiated and irradiated with 1?MeV electrons were measured in the 10–300?K temperature range. In unirradiated germanium bottom cell, the spectra show that the PL intensity increases with temperature but slightly decreases at around 250?K because of the intrinsic defect. However, in irradiated germanium bottom cell, the spectra show that there are two negative thermal quenching processes (10–90?K and 200–270?K) and two usual thermal quenching processes (90–200?K and 270–300?K) as a result of the radiation-induced defects E_c ? 0.37?eV and E_c ? 0.12?eV.     

Analysis of the low—lying spectrum of the He—tetramer

There is a type of nodal surface imposed by symmetry on wavefunctions.These surfaces are crucial to the ordering of low-lying states.Based on an analysis of this type of surface and based on existing theoretical results,the feature of the low-lying spectrum of the He-tetramer is studied,and the candidates of bound states and narrow resonances are suggested.     

Study on the n-β-FeSi2/p-Si solar cells under different illuminated directions

The n-β-FeSi₂/p-Si heterojunction solar cells can be used under illumination of β-FeSi₂ side or Si side. In this work, the effects of illuminated direction on the photovoltaic properties of n-β-FeSi₂/p-Si heterojunction solar cells were analyzed by numerical methods. The calculated results show that the n-β-FeSi₂/p-Si heterojunction solar cell under illumination of β-FeSi₂ side has superior photovoltaic properties, which is consisting with the experimental reports. For the illumination of Si side, the photo-generated carriers in the back surface of Si substrate are far from the built-in electric field, resulting in the reduced conversion efficiency. The calculated results indicate that we should choose the illumination of β-FeSi₂ side for n-β-FeSi₂/p-Si heterojunction solar cell application.     

Analysis of the B 0(+) → J/ΨD 0(+) decays

We analyze B ⁰⁽⁺⁾ → J/ΨD ⁰⁽⁺⁾ decays by considering the contributions of annihilation diagrams. For each diagram, we calculate the branching ratios for various parameters X _A , which have played a significant role in our results. These parameters have been concluded from the divergence integrals in hard-scattering kernels. Here, we have considered three effective variables, including: Λ(225, 500 MeV), ρ _A (0, 1, 1/2), and φ _A . It is found that the most of the obtained data are placed in the experimental range at Λ = 225 MeV and Λ = 500 MeV for B ⁺ → J/ΨD ⁺ and B ⁰ → J/ΨD ⁰, respectively.     

Electroreflectance study of CuIn1−xGaxSe2 thin film solar cells

We have investigated the optical properties of CuIn_1−xGa_xSe₂ (CIGS) thin film solar cells using their electroreflectance (ER) at room temperature. The ER spectra exhibited one broad and two narrow signal regions. Using the photoluminescence (PL) and photocurrent (PC) spectra, the peaks in the low-energy region (1.02–1.35 eV) can be assigned to the CIGS thin film. The PC results implied that the peaks in the high-energy region (2.10–2.52 eV) can be assigned to the CdS band-gap energy. Using the applied bias voltage, the broad signals in the 1.35–2.09 eV region can be assigned to the Franz–Keldysh oscillation (FKO) due to the internal electric field. The ER spectra exhibited a distorted CdS signal for the CIGS thin film solar cell with low shunt resistance and efficiency.     

Angular Distributions and Generalized Moment Analysis for the Doubly Radiative Decay J/ψ→γγV

The doubly radiative decay process J/ψ→γ+X,X→γ+V,V→2P(or 3P) is discussed in this paper.For the intermediate state X with various spin-parity J^P,the corresponding helicity formalism of angular distribution formulas and the moments developed from the generalized moment analysis are presented.They are helpful for determining the spin of the intermediate state.     

Evaluation of the mechanical properties of PMC interface using slice compression test — Analysis of transfer mechanism of interfacial shear stress

Properties of the fiber/matrix interface in SiO₂/epoxy and SiC/epoxy composite are investigated using the slice compression test (SCT) for the single fiber, where the specimen is loaded and unloaded between a plate which has different mechanical properties. It is found that the interfacial debonding proceeds from the polished surface at a soft plate side and that the fiber protrusion occurs after unloading. The fiber-protrusion length is directly measured at each applied stress level using a scanning electron microscope. Interfacial shear-sliding stress is obtained based on the constant shear-sliding stress analysis employing the obtained protrusion length. It is demonstrated that the value of interfacial shear-sliding stress shows good agreement with that obtained from another technique, the push-out test, on the same system. The relation between the fiber-protrusion length and applied stress is proportional to a certain extent. From this result, it is analytically pointed out that the applied stress has a limiting value in this SCT because of Poisson's effect. Also, two interfacial debonding criteria, which are determined analytically for the PMC, are discussed.     

Moment Method for Spin Analysis of the Pseudoscalar Pair Produced in the Radiative J/ψ Decay

The formalism and technique of the moment method for spin analysis of the boson X in J/ψ→γX,X→P₁P₂ are presented.The analysis technique is cited to study the spin of θ(1720) with Monte Carlo data samples.One finds that the spin of the boson X can be effectively determined by the moment method.As an example,the technique is used to measure the spin of the resonances in the low mass region of J/ψ→γK⁺K^－ channel at BES.It is found that the spin analysis strategy of the moment method is successful.     

Partial Wave Analysis of J/ψ Decays into ρρπ

The possible place to search for exotic states in J/ψ hadronic decays is in J/ψ→ρρπ. Because of the symmetry of identical particle and the symmetry of isospin, the physical analysis on this channel is quite complicated. In this paper, the method to use the partial wave analysis based on covariant helicity amplitude analysis to study the invariant mass spectrum of ρπ and to find the evidence of exotic states in ρπ spectrum is discussed. The decay amplitude for the decay sequence J/ψ→ρX, X →ρπ is given first. Then we discuss how to realize the identical particle symmetry and the isospin symmetry in the decay amplitude, which is the key point in the analysis of this channel. Then the total decay amplitude of this channel including all decay components is given. After that, how to identify the exotic states in the ρπ spectrum is discussed. What is discussed in this paper is the theoretical basis on experimentally searching for exotic states at BEPC/BES.     

Partial Wave Analysis of J/ψ Decays into ρρπ

The possible place to search for exotic states in J/ψ hadronic decays is in J/ψ→ρρπ. Because of the symmetry of identical particle and the symmetry of isospin, the physical analysis on this channel is quite complicated. In this paper, the method to use the partial wave analysis based on covariant helicity amplitude analysis to study the invariant mass spectrum of ρπ and to find the evidence of exotic states in ρπ spectrum is discussed. The decay amplitude for the decay sequence J/ψ→ρX, X →ρπ is given first. Then we discuss how to realize the identical particle symmetry and the isospin symmetry in the decay amplitude, which is the key point in the analysis of this channel. Then the total decay amplitude of this channel including all decay components is given. After that, how to identify the exotic states in the ρπ spectrum is discussed. What is discussed in this paper is the theoretical basis on experimentally searching for exotic states at BEPC/BES.     

Partial Wave Analysis of J/ψ Decays into ρρπ

The possible place to search for exotic states in J/ψ hadronic decays is in J/ψ →ρρπ. Because of the symmetry of identical particle and the symmetry of isospin, the physical analysis on this channel is quite complicated. In this paper, the method to use the partial wave analysis based on covariant helicity amplitude analysis to study the invariant mass spectrum of ρρπ and to find the evidence of exotic states in ρρπ spectrum is discussed. The decay amplitude for the decay sequence J/ψ→ρX, X →ρπ is given first. Then we discuss how to realize the identical particle symmetry and the isospin symmetry in the decay amplitude, which is the key point in the analysis of this channel. Then the total decay amplitude of this channel including all decay components is given. After that, how to identify the exotic states in the ρρπ spectrum is discussed. What is discussed in this paper is the theoretical basis on experimentally searching for exotic states at BEPC/BES.     

Intrinsic electron spin relaxation due to the D'yakonov–Perel' mechanism in monolayer MoS2

Intrinsic electron spin relaxation due to the D'yakonov–Perel' mechanism is studied in monolayer Molybdenum Disulphide. An intervalley in-plane spin relaxation channel is revealed due to the opposite effective magnetic fields perpendicular to the monolayer Molybdenum Disulphide plane in the two valleys together with the intervalley electron–phonon scattering. The intervalley electron–phonon scattering is always in the weak scattering limit, which leads to a rapid decrease of the in-plane spin relaxation time with increasing temperature. A decrease of the in-plane spin relaxation time with the increase of the electron density is also shown.     

Reading the patterns in living cells —the physics of ca2+ signaling

Ca²⁺ is one of the most important messengers. It transmits signals inside living cells and takes part in intercellular coordination. The dynamics of the Ca²⁺ concentration shows a transition from elemental, stochastic events to global events like waves and oscillations. This transition renders it an ideal tool for studying basic concepts of pattern formation, especially since access to the most important experimental parameters is given. Ca²⁺ dynamics in living cells has been a major topic of biophysical modelling in the last 15 years. Modelling has reached the level of predictive power. The theoretical analysis of waves provided new insight into the mechanisms of Ca²⁺ signaling and led to new concepts of analysis of wave equations with concentration dependent diffusion and novel wave bifurcations. Modelling of oscillations provided understanding especially of complex oscillations and allowed to extract information about the underlying cellular parameters and mechanisms. The investigation of the stochastic aspects of intracellular Ca²⁺ dynamics demonstrated the fundamental role of fluctuations arising from the control of the release channel by Ca²⁺ and IP₃. This review presents an overview of current theoretical research on Ca²⁺ dynamics in living cells driven by the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor channel.     

Effects of preannealing temperature of ZnO thin films on the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells

The preferred (002) orientation zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystalline thin films have been deposited on FTO-coated glass substrates by sol–gel spin-coating technology and rapid thermal annealing for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The effects of preannealing temperature (100 and 300°C) on the microstructure, morphology and optical properties of ZnO thin films were studied. The ZnO thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. The photoelectric performance of DSSC was studied by I–V curve and the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE), respectively. From the results, the intensities of (002) peaks of ZnO thin films increases with increasing preannealing temperature from 100°C to 300°C. The increase in pore size and surface area of ZnO films crystallized at the increased preannealing temperature contributed to the improvement on the absorption of N3 dye onto the films, the short-circuit photocurrent (J _sc) and open-circuit voltage (V _oc) of DSSC. The higher efficiency (η) of 2.5% with J _sc and V _oc of 8.2 mA/cm² and 0.64 V, respectively, was obtained by the ZnO film preannealed at 300°C.     

Influence of p-layer on the performance of n-i-p μc-Si:H thin film solar cells

The high pressure radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD) process was adopted to prepare the n-i-p microcrystalline silicon solar cells,the influence of p-type layers on the performance of the solar cells was investigated,and the optimum p layer suited to the n-i-p microcrystalline silicon solar cells was obtained.The experimental results demonstrate that the performance of the solar cells can be highly affected by the structural and optical properties of the p-layers,and the performance of solar cells can be greatly improved by optimizing p layers.We have achieved an initial active-area efficiency of 8.17% (V oc =0.49 V,J sc =24.9 mA/cm 2 ,FF=67%) for the μc-Si:H single-junction n-i-p solar cells and an initial active-area efficiency of 10.93% (V oc =1.31 V,J sc =13.09 mA/cm 2 ,FF=64%) for the a-Si:H/μc-Si:H tandem n-i-p solar cells.