Effect of antireflection coatings and coverglasses on silicon solar cell performance

The high reflectivity of the polished silicon surface of the newer N⁺/P silicon solar cells has emphasized the need for properly designed antireflection coatings to obtain improved solar cell performance. The problem is complicated by the facts that solar cells are generally tested in air, but are for their final application covered with a glass or quartz slide which is adhesive-bonded to the cell surface, and further, that solar cells operating in a nuclear particle radiation environment change their spectral response and are frequently optimized for performance at the end of design-life. Experiments have been performed to explore the antireflection characteristics of thin films of silicon monoxide which have been evaporated on the solar cell surface. The effect of the antireflection coating thickness on cell response as a function of wavelength has been determined and the improvement in cell short circuit current for Air Mass Zero space sunlight evaluated. Included in this study was the evaluation of the antireflection characteristics after the application of a coverglass with adhesive over the antireflection coating. For comparison, coverglasses were also applied to bare cells with no antireflection coating present. In all cases the various coating comparisons were based on the cell short-circuit current performance in Air Mass Zero sunlight.