UV radiation hardness of silicon inversion layer solar cells

For full utilization of the high spectral response of inversion-layer solar cells in the very-short-wavelength range of the solar spectrum, sufficient ultraviolet-radiation hardness is required. In addition to the charge-induced passivation achieved by incorporating cesium into the silicon nitride AR coating, the following means for further drastic reduction of UV-light-induced effects in inversion-layer solar cells without encapsulation are introduced and interpretations are given: increasing the nitride deposition temperature, silicon surface oxidation at low temperatures, texture etching, and using higher substrate resistivities. High UV radiation tolerance and improvement of the cell efficiency can be obtained simultaneously