Abstract

MACABEBE, Erees Q.B.  and  VAN DYK, E. Ernest. Parameter extraction from dark current-voltage characteristics of solar cells. S. Afr. j. sci. [online]. 2008, vol.104, n.9-10, pp.401-404. ISSN 1996-7489.

Electrical properties derived from the dark current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of solar cells provide essential information necessary in the analysis of performance losses and device efficiency. Device parameters of crystalline silicon solar cells were determined using the one-diode and two-diode models. The parameters extracted from the dark I-V curve of the solar cells were series resistance, shunt resistance, saturation currents and ideality factors. Iteration and approximation techniques were used to determine the device parameters of the solar cells. The method, which considered a finite shunt resistance in the high current region of the curve, made the implementation different from other techniques. Standard deviation, R² values and a fitting routine that provides a graphical representation of the output were implemented to determine the best set of parameters. Comparison of the extracted device parameters against the simulated values suggests that the two-diode model is more suitable than the one-diode model in describing the behaviour of the dark I-V curve. The two-diode model also provides more information necessary to explain the mechanisms governing the I-V curve under dark conditions.

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