Solar cell — UPSC Physics Optional CSE 2019 Paper II

A 5\,\mathrm{cm^2} Ge solar cell with a dark reverse saturation current of 2\,\mathrm{nA} has solar radiation incident upon it, producing 4\times10^{17} electron-hole pairs per second. The electron and hole diffusion lengths are given to be 5\,\mu\mathrm{m} and 2\,\mu\mathrm{m}, respectively. Calculate for the cell of the following:

(i) The short-circuit current

(ii) The open-circuit voltage