Improved model of radiation damage to silicon solar cells

We have carried out modeling of the evolution of silicon solar cell performance following irradiation with high energy protons and electrons. Using the traditional semiempirical expression the solar cell output parameters of a given cell structure could be predicted for-various particle energies by expressing the particle fluence as a displacement damage dose. We discuss the extent to which the evolution of different silicon solar cell structures in a radiation environment can be predicted using the software package PC-1D by taking account of the degradation of the minority carrier lifetime and majority carrier concentration in the cell. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.