VOC-limits of high efficiency mc-Si solar cells investigated by the mini solar cell (MSC) method

The MSC characterization method is used to investigate the dependence of the total V(ind OC) value of a solar cell on local material properties. It was tested, to which extent the V(ind OC) determining effective diffusion length can be approximated by the geometric average of diffusion length distributions. Typical distributions and their numerically calculated corresponding V(ind OC) values have been analyzed. The results appear to be in good agreement with the above proposal. In addition, it is demonstrated, that in the block cast material investigated shunts are of minor importance.