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Effects of temperature and series resistance on GaAs concentrator solar cell

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2008

S. Khelifi ,
L. Ayat  and
A. Belghachi
S. Khelifi*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Semiconductor Devices Physics (LPDS), Physics Department, University of Béchar, POB 417, Béchar, Algeria
L. Ayat
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Semiconductor Devices Physics (LPDS), Physics Department, University of Béchar, POB 417, Béchar, Algeria
A. Belghachi
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Semiconductor Devices Physics (LPDS), Physics Department, University of Béchar, POB 417, Béchar, Algeria
*
samira_khelifi@yahoo.frsamira.khelifi@elis.ugent.be
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Abstract

Concentrators use reflection or refraction of light, or a combination of both, but concentration of light leads to a crucial heating of the cell, which involves degradation of its performance. However, solar cells especially conceived for concentration can support very intense illuminations as far as an active cooling is assured. In this work, a GaAs solar cell with AlxGa$_{1-x}$As window layer, operating under low injection conditions, has been studied with temperature and solar concentration. The temperature corresponding to each concentration was calculated, and then used in the calculation of photovoltaic parameters. The study was carried out under free mode conditions (without heat sink) and then under forced conditions (with a cooling system) in order to demonstrate the importance of cooling in the concentrator solar cells. The effect of series resistance on solar cell characteristics has also been studied. The simulation was carried out using SCAPS-1D simulator. The results were compared with those obtained theoretically; a good agreement was found between the two models.

Keywords

Type
Research Article
Information
The European Physical Journal - Applied Physics , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , February 2008 , pp. 115 - 119
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2008

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