Abstract: | An approach is proposed to calculate the optimal parameters of silicon-based heterojunction solar cells whose key feature is a low rate of recombination processes in comparison with direct-gap semiconductors. It is shown that at relatively low majority-carrier concentrations (Nd ~ 1015 cm–3), the excess carrier concentration can be comparable to or higher than Nd. In this case, the efficiency η is independent of Nd. At higher Nd, the dependence η(Nd) is defined by two opposite trends. One of them promotes an increase in η with Nd, and the other associated with Auger recombination leads to a decrease in η. The optimum value Nd ≈ 2 × 1016 cm–3 at which η of such a cell is maximum is determined. It is shown that maximum η is 1.5–2% higher than η at 1015 cm–3. |