| n improved understanding of a-Si:H pin solar cells stability was obtained by studying light induced degradation in a-Si:H films and in devices. The current-voltage characteristics and the quantum efficiencies of a-Si:H pin solar cells were measured as a function of intrinsic layer thickness, bias light intensity and degradation condition. Photoconductivity measurements on device quality intrinsic a-Si:H thin film materials showed that the majority carrier (electron) ;A new method was developed to investigate the minority carrier (hole) diffusion length in device quality a-Si:H films as a function of degradation. This method uses the Schottky barrier structure to establish a depletion region, which can be controlled by the applied voltage and the bias light intensity. Modulated blue light is used to generate electron hole pairs near the ohmic contacts, and the holes diffuse across the neutral region to be collected. The modulated current is related to the diffusion length of the holes due to this current limiting hole transport. Comparing the results of this new technique to that of the Photocarrier Grating method, the electron drift mobility was found to degrade from... |
