THE REVERSAL OF LIGHT-INDUCED DEGRADATION IN AMORPHOUS-SILICON SOLAR-CELLS BY AN ELECTRIC-FIELD

A strong electric field has been shown to reverse the light-induced de gradation of amorphous silicon solar cells while exposed to intense il lumination at moderate temperatures. The rate of reversal increases wi th temperature, illumination intensity, and with the strength of the r everse bias field. The reversal process exhibits an activation energy on the order of 0.9 eV and can be increased by the trapping of either electrons or holes in the presence of a strong electric field. (C) 199 7 American Institute of Physics.