Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mphil-in-micro-and-nanotechnology-enterprise-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2022/paper-1/section-b/9/v/solution
Past exam of the MPhil in micro- and nanotechnology enterprise course of the University of Cambridge 2022 Paper 1 Section B 9 v Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-20
Assume one collected electron per absorbed photon, ideality factor one and . The question does not specify temperature, so the result should also be understood through its temperature-dependent formula. The photocurrent density isAt open circuit the diode current balances that photocurrent:Using gives approximately . These are current densities, so no device area is needed. Incomplete collection would replace by the collected current and reduce this estimate.
Without texturing, more incident photons generally escape by reflection, so the absorbed flux and decrease. Holding and temperature fixed, the voltage falls logarithmically: if absorption is multiplied by and , then . A real texture also changes surface area and recombination, so an unchanged is an assumption rather than a guarantee.
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