Progress in Photovoltaics最新文献

{"title":"On the Electron Transport in Simplified IBC-SHJ Solar Cells With MoOx Blanket Layer","authors":"Katarina Kovačević,&nbsp;Yifeng Zhao,&nbsp;Paul Procel,&nbsp;Liqi Cao,&nbsp;Miro Zeman,&nbsp;Luana Mazzarella,&nbsp;Olindo Isabella","doi":"10.1002/pip.70054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.70054","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Interdigitated-back-contacted silicon heterojunction (IBC-SHJ) solar cells with molybdenum oxide (MoO_<i>x</i>) as a hole transport layer and a novel (<i>n</i>)-type hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H)/MoO_<i>x</i> electron transport stack use ultra-thin MoO_<i>x</i> as a full-area blanket layer. This solar cell architecture is realized with a simplified fabrication process and ensures high shunt resistances, attributed to the low lateral conductivity of the MoO_<i>x</i> layer. Here we investigate the electron transport mechanisms through the electron collection contact to improve the understanding and performance of the IBC-SHJ solar cells. For this evaluation, we first introduce plasma treatments between (<i>n</i>)nc-Si:H and MoO_<i>x</i> and assess their role in passivation, charge carrier transport and MoO_<i>x</i> growth. Temperature-dependent current–voltage (<i>I–V</i>) measurements of front/back-contacted (FBC) solar cells with (<i>n</i>)nc-Si:H/MoO_<i>x</i> stack, supported by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) imaging and numerical simulations, reveal that plasma treatment (PT) and plasma treatment with boron (PTB) enable electron transport based on direct energy transitions. Next, we perform thickness sensitivity analysis to find the optimal layer thicknesses of (<i>n</i>)nc-Si:H and MoO_<i>x</i>. While FBC-SHJ devices exhibit stable performance across a broad range of (<i>n</i>)nc-Si:H thicknesses (10–50 nm), IBC-SHJ devices are more sensitive to such a thickness variation, with thinner (<i>n</i>)-layers limiting final device efficiency. The combination of 50-nm thick (<i>n</i>)nc-Si:H, PTB, and 1.7-nm thick MoO_<i>x</i> enables the best performance of IBC-SHJ solar cells. When metallized with electroplated Cu, our champion IBC-SHJ solar cell with MoO_<i>x</i> blanket layer reaches an efficiency of 23.59%. Further advancements in (<i>n</i>)nc-Si:H properties, passivation, transparent conductive oxide selection, and front-side light management are expected to drive efficiencies well above 24%.</p>","PeriodicalId":223,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Photovoltaics","volume":"34 5","pages":"523-532"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/pip.70054","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147708241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"UV-Induced Degradation and Associated Metastability in TOPCon Photovoltaic Modules: Understanding Kinetics and Cell Variance","authors":"Dana B. Kern,&nbsp;Rebecca Wai,&nbsp;Kent Terwilliger,&nbsp;Steve Johnston","doi":"10.1002/pip.70067","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.70067","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules are dominating the PV market, but they may be susceptible to degradation under ultraviolet (UV)-containing light. Quantifying the impacts of UV-induced degradation (UVID) is complicated by an associated metastability causing further degradation under dark storage and rapid recovery under sunlight. Here, we study modules that have −2.3% to −3.2% nonrecoverable UVID loss after 60 kWh/m² dose of 340 nm light and additional recoverable loss under dark storage. We use in situ electroluminescence (EL) imaging to characterize the post-UVID metastability at the module level. The cell-by-cell dark degradation and recovery kinetics span a wide range from +6% to −70% changes in EL intensity after 520 h of dark storage, which returns to ± 4% of the initial post-UVID EL intensity after illumination. The kinetics follow double exponential rates with dark storage degradation time constants of 345 and 45 h, and UV light recovery time constants of 5 min and 36 s. We propose that this is consistent with prior reports of kinetics for light-soaking metastability in Al₂O₃ passivation. Finally, we further show that cells having high UVID also have injection-dependent effective carrier lifetimes and significant intra-cell variance, suggesting possible origins of processing inconsistency.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":223,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Photovoltaics","volume":"34 5","pages":"589-599"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147708172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advances in Carbon Electrode Integration for Stable and Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules","authors":"Jacob Wall,&nbsp;Feng Yan","doi":"10.1002/pip.70053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.70053","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Carbon-electrode-based perovskite solar cells (C-PSCs) have emerged as a cost-effective and scalable alternative to noble-metal-based PSCs, addressing critical challenges related to device stability, fabrication complexity, and commercialization potential. This review explores the recent progress in C-PSC development, focusing on the benefits of carbon electrodes (CEs), including their hydrophobicity, chemical inertness to halide corrosion, and compatibility with low-temperature cost-effective solution-based deposition methods. Despite relatively lower power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) than their metal (e.g., Au/Ag) counterparts, recent advances in carbon paste formulation, interfacial contact engineering, and work function modification have elevated C-PSC efficiencies above 22%. This review further examines strategies to enhance electrode conductivity, interfacial properties, and charge selectivity to further increase C-PSC performance. Progress in carbon-electrode-based perovskite solar modules (C-PSMs), particularly within mesoporous and planar architectures, is also analyzed, revealing significant developments in active area scaling and long-term stability. Notably, the limited research in inverted (PIN) C-PSCs is also highlighted as a compelling opportunity for innovation, given the architecture's inherent advantages in flexibility, tandem integration, and low-temperature processing. Collectively, these insights affirm the potential of C-PSCs and C-PSMs to deliver affordable, stable, and high-performance photovoltaics suitable for scalable deployment.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":223,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Photovoltaics","volume":"34 5","pages":"503-522"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147708227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High Efficiency Current-Matched III–V/n-TOPCon Tandem Solar Cell With System-Level Energy Output and Loss Analysis","authors":"Alamgeer,&nbsp;Hasnain Yousuf,&nbsp;Rafi Ur Rahman,&nbsp;Maha Nur Aida,&nbsp;Muhammad Quddamah Khokhar,&nbsp;Junsin Yi","doi":"10.1002/pip.70072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.70072","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study reports a current-matched two-terminal (2T) tandem solar cell comprising a GaInP/GaAs/InGaAs triple-junction III–V top cell with a fully back-metalized commercial device efficiency of 29.96%. This top cell is integrated with an n-type tunnel oxide passivated contact (n-TOPCon) silicon bottom cell, which delivers an efficiency of 22.03%. To mitigate the photon transmission barrier imposed by the fully back-metalized III–V structure, we first optimize the silicon bottom cell area, achieving an efficiency of 27.41% with current matching at 14.4 cm². A further enhancement is realized by introducing rear-side albedo illumination (0.3 sun) while maintaining equal top and bottom cell areas as 12.04 cm², resulting in a significantly improved tandem efficiency of 35.33% with <i>J</i>_sc = 13.03 mA cm⁻², <i>V</i>_oc = 3.58 V, and FF = 75.70%. These experimentally obtained electrical parameters for the Si, III–V, and III–V/Si tandem devices were individually used as inputs in PVsyst simulation software for a 1 MW photovoltaic system. The tandem configuration delivers an annual energy output of 1222.1 MWh to the grid with a performance ratio (PR) of 0.920, surpassing standalone Si and III–V modules. System-level loss analysis showed Si modules exhibited higher thermal and LID losses, while III–V suffered greater voltage degradation from temperature effects. Furthermore, the tandem configuration exhibited reduced spectral, thermal, mismatch, and wiring losses with stable inverter output demonstrating a practical strategy for high-efficiency tandem photovoltaics.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":223,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Photovoltaics","volume":"34 5","pages":"614-625"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147708263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High-Mobility and Low Carrier Concentration Transparent Conducting Oxide Rear Contact for Bifacial CIGS Solar Cells","authors":"Nisika Nisika,&nbsp;Shiro Nishiwaki,&nbsp;Ceren Mitmit,&nbsp;Matteo De Marzi,&nbsp;Kerem Artuk,&nbsp;Christian M. Wolff,&nbsp;Romain Carron","doi":"10.1002/pip.70061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.70061","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The power conversion efficiency of bifacial Cu (In, Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) solar cells under rear illumination is limited by low short circuit current density (Jsc) values. This study investigates the potential of high-mobility, low carrier concentration transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) as transparent rear contacts (TBCs) to enhance the performance of CIGS solar cells under rear illumination. We first show by optical simulations that TCO with high carrier mobility and low carrier concentration reduces parasitic absorption and improves light coupling into the CIGS absorber, respectively. Then, CIGS solar cells are realized by implementing In₂O₃:Sn (ITO) and the higher performing In₂O₃:H (IOH) and In₂O₃:Zr (InZrO) as TBC. These TBCs significantly improve the optical coupling of rear-side illumination into the CIGS absorber, improving the rear external quantum efficiency maximum value from about 50% to above 80%. The optical transparency of IOH and InZrO TBC remains relatively unaffected after the CIGS growth process, outperforming ITO on this aspect as well. The observed poor rear EQE at short wavelength is ascribed to a strong rear interface recombination. Finally, a prospective analysis of realistically achievable rear Jsc gains is provided when introducing a steeper Ga gradient at the rear interface and a passivated rear contact.</p>","PeriodicalId":223,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Photovoltaics","volume":"34 5","pages":"555-566"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/pip.70061","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147708362","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Progress Toward Efficient Wide-Gap Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 Thin-Film Solar Cells","authors":"Setareh Zahedi-Azad,&nbsp;Roland Scheer,&nbsp;Dimitrios Hariskos,&nbsp;Stefan Paetel,&nbsp;Wolfram Hempel,&nbsp;Wolfram Witte,&nbsp;Hao Luo,&nbsp;Oana Cojocaru-Mirédin,&nbsp;Mary Blankenship,&nbsp;Dirk Hauschild,&nbsp;Victor van Maris,&nbsp;Lothar Weinhardt,&nbsp;Clemens Heske,&nbsp;Thomas Unold,&nbsp;José A. Márquez,&nbsp;Jasmin Seeger,&nbsp;Florian Wilhelmi,&nbsp;Michael Hetterich,&nbsp;Thomas Niesen,&nbsp;Patrick Eraerds,&nbsp;Thomas Dalibor,&nbsp;Xiaowei Jin,&nbsp;Reinhard Schneider,&nbsp;Dagmar Gerthsen,&nbsp;Di Wang,&nbsp;Christian Kübel","doi":"10.1002/pip.70036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.70036","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In this paper, wide-gap Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)₂ thin-film solar cells are studied in view of their performance, limitations, and opportunities for further optimization. To this end, a wide variety of properties is investigated. This includes the role of gallium gradients, grain size effects, electronic properties, doping metastabilities, and minority carrier lifetime. Particular emphasis is placed on the impact of alkali atoms. A comparison of surface, interface, and grain boundary chemistry shows systematic atomic accumulation and depletion effects. This leads to electronic modifications in the grain boundary regions of the absorber. Heavy alkali treatments also influence the device properties, giving a clear boost of open-circuit voltage. By the combination of different experimental results, this positive open-circuit voltage effect has been explained in terms of reduction of interface recombination. The latter effects are discussed in view of a possible alkali–indium–selenium bond formation at the interface between the absorber and the buffer layer. The properties of a 14.2%-efficient Cu(In,Ga)Se₂-based device with [Ga]/([Ga] + [In]) = 0.8 and a wide optical band gap of 1.48 eV are investigated, also in view of further opportunities for improvement.</p>","PeriodicalId":223,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Photovoltaics","volume":"34 5","pages":"567-588"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/pip.70036","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147707871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated Encapsulation of Flexible Solar Array by Pseudomorphic Glass for High Efficiency and High Reliability Space Photovoltaic Application","authors":"Weinan Zhang,&nbsp;Huiyang Zhao,&nbsp;Wenhao Shen,&nbsp;Dandan Ju,&nbsp;Qi Zhang,&nbsp;Bin Su,&nbsp;Wei Zhang,&nbsp;Junyi Lin,&nbsp;Zhicheng Lan,&nbsp;Chengyue Sun,&nbsp;Yiyong Wu","doi":"10.1002/pip.70063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.70063","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Solar arrays, as the primary energy source for spacecraft, should possess technical capabilities of lightweight, high-power, and exceptional reliability to fulfill the requirements of future space applications. Benefiting from the high transmittance, flexibility, and adjustable capabilities of Pseudomorphic Glass (PMG), along with high-efficiency thin-film III–V solar cells, large-area encapsulation high-efficiency flexible solar array has been achieved on fiber-reinforced polyimide. Here, we provide a fast and low-cost integrated flexible encapsulation strategy to design flexible arrays for different service orbits by reducing the solar array mass and launch cost. Firstly, the arrangement direction and interconnected solar cells in flexible arrays were designed, and the reliability was verified by experiments. The results show that optimizing the arrangement of solar cells can significantly reduce the potential risk of solar cell cracks when the flexible array is rolled. Next, a flexible array with an area of 0.12 m² was prepared using PMG and flexible III–V solar cells. Its specific power and area density reached 400 W/kg and 0.65 kg/m², respectively. The flexible array was subjected to a series of space assessment experiments, including ultraviolet radiation, atomic oxygen erosion, charged particle irradiation and thermal cycling. The results illustrated that the flexible array showed excellent stability and reliability under the abovementioned space environment factors. Finally, the flexible array was optimized for typical spacecraft service orbits (low earth orbit and geosynchronous orbit), reducing weight by 56.7% and 39.4%, respectively compared with rigid panels. The proposed flexible array has excellent space application potential and provides a new path for powering high-power spacecraft and large-space facilities.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":223,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Photovoltaics","volume":"34 5","pages":"600-613"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147708083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Origin of the HJT Silicon Solar Cell Degradation Induced by Indium Tin Oxide Corrosion","authors":"Godeung Park,&nbsp;Hyunsoo Lim,&nbsp;Da Yeong Jun,&nbsp;Jiyeon Moon,&nbsp;Zulmandakh Otgongerel,&nbsp;Jin Woo Park,&nbsp;Jeonghun Kim,&nbsp;Sung Hyun Kim","doi":"10.1002/pip.70051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.70051","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Heterojunction technology (HJT) silicon solar cells have garnered significant attention owing to their high solar power conversion efficiency. However, despite their promise, HJT solar cells still confront challenges related to long-term stability and reliability, primarily attributed to factors such as corrosion by acids and thermal damage. In this study, we investigated the specific conditions leading to acid leakage using commercially available encapsulants, including ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyolefin elastomer (POE), and a sandwich-structured encapsulant known as EPE (EVA-POE-EVA). Various combinations of temperature and duration were examined to identify conditions triggering encapsulant decomposition and subsequent acid generation. Additionally, the mechanism by which acetic acid contributes to indium tin oxide (ITO) corrosion was explored. Our findings reveal that acidic conditions with a pH below 3 initiate ITO corrosion, with the extent of corrosion influenced by the crystal structure of the ITO. Corrosion of the ITO layer leads to an increase in resistivity, as observed through four-probe method and electroluminescence testing. These results provide valuable insights for researchers in both industry and academia, facilitating a better understanding of the effects of acid corrosion. Future research endeavors will focus on developing strategies to mitigate HJT degradation resulting from corrosion.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":223,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Photovoltaics","volume":"34 5","pages":"533-543"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147708242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unsupervised Prediction of Damp Heat Degradation in Heterojunction Photovoltaic Modules Using Deep Learning","authors":"Zubair Abdullah-Vetter,&nbsp;Brendan Wright,&nbsp;Ali Shakiba,&nbsp;Robert Lee Chin,&nbsp;Ziv Hameiri","doi":"10.1002/pip.70064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.70064","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Photovoltaic energy is currently the most affordable form of electricity due to ongoing improvements in the efficiency and reliability of solar modules. Recently, it was suggested that 75 terawatts of installed photovoltaic capacity will be necessary by 2050 to reach the global decarbonisation targets. This demand increases the need for photovoltaic modules to become even cheaper and more reliable. The capability to predict the long-term field performance of photovoltaic modules is vital to improving their reliability. An accurate performance prediction will also improve the bankability of utility-scale photovoltaic plants, as trustworthy long-term predictions reduce uncertainties in financing such projects.</p>\u0000 <p>This study presents a proof-of-concept approach for predicting performance trends using a generative, deep learning model. This model was trained on time series data gathered from multiple 1512-h accelerated damp heat tests of heterojunction PV modules. Despite using only the first 30% of the time series data, this generative learning framework accurately predicts multiple current–voltage and electroluminescence trends throughout the test duration. These predictions also highlight a key advantage over traditional approaches, which require the manual fitting of single-parameter trends. The model is also shown to automatically correlate the impact of temperature on the degradation kinetics of photovoltaic modules, demonstrating its ability to learn and model the impact of environmental conditions on the observed degradation. While the model is trained on laboratory-based measurements, the approach can be modified to use data collected from fielded photovoltaic modules. With further development, this approach could support improved module design and maintenance strategies, enhancing the reliability of fielded PV systems. This study is a critical step towards developing machine learning-based tools for data-driven reliability improvements of photovoltaic modules.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":223,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Photovoltaics","volume":"34 5","pages":"626-637"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147708255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of Degradation and Damage Coefficient of Ga-Doped PERC Space Solar Cells Under 1 MeV Electron Irradiation","authors":"Ning Yang,&nbsp;Gence Bektaş,&nbsp;Xinliang Lou,&nbsp;Wenjing Zhang,&nbsp;Yu An,&nbsp;Zhenjue Shen,&nbsp;Xiao Yuan,&nbsp;Derk Leander Bätzner,&nbsp;Muqing Liu,&nbsp;Pierre J. Verlinden","doi":"10.1002/pip.70059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.70059","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The degradation of passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) fabricated on Ga-doped p-type substrates under varying levels of electron irradiation is analyzed for applications on satellites in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). While the optical properties, as characterized by the reflectance spectra, remain unchanged up to a 1 MeV electron fluence of 1 × 10¹⁴ cm⁻², significant degradation is observed in the electrical properties of the solar cells. A dramatic decrease in internal quantum efficiency, particularly in the medium and long wavelength regions, indicates an increase in bulk recombination as the electron fluence increases. At the highest electron fluence (1 × 10¹⁴ cm⁻²), the AM0 efficiency drops from 19.32% to 14.91%, corresponding to a relative loss of 22.8%, primarily due to reductions in open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current. The electrical irradiation damage coefficients (K_L), used to quantify degradation in the minority carrier diffusion length, are calculated in the range of (3.8–7.5) × 10⁻¹¹ electron⁻¹ before a 200°C annealing, with small variations attributed to sample structure and experimental scatter across different fluences. Partial recovery of degraded solar cells under dark annealing is also demonstrated. These findings provide valuable insights into the degradation of Ga-doped PERC solar cells under electron irradiation and serve as a reference for the design of solar arrays used in LEO spacecraft. Assuming that the degradation coefficient of Ga-doped silicon follows a similar dependence on doping concentration as B-doped silicon, simulations were performed to optimize the bulk resistivity and solar cell thickness for LEO applications and 1 MeV electron irradiation up to 1 × 10¹⁴ cm⁻². The results of these simulations suggest that an optimum thickness of approximately 40–70 μm is preferable for low-resistivity substrates, but an interesting alternative is to use high-resistivity substrates (around 200 Ω.cm), which reduces irradiation-induced damage and enables thicker wafer designs with improved EOL efficiency.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":223,"journal":{"name":"Progress in Photovoltaics","volume":"34 5","pages":"544-554"},"PeriodicalIF":7.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147708310","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}