Differential electroluminescence imaging and the current transport efficiency of silicon wafer solar cells

Wong, Johnson; Sridharan, Ranjani; Wang, Yu Chang; Mueller, Thomas

doi:10.1109/pvsc.2014.6925078

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Equation illustrates that the spatial variation in f T can be determined by comparing two EL images at incrementally different forward biases. This method has recently been experimentally demonstrated on silicon, GaAs, CIGS, CdTe, and perovskite solar cells.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatially Resolved Identification of Shunt Defects in Thin Film Solar Cells via Current Transport Efficiency Imaging Combined with 3D Finite Element Modeling

Ren

Zhang

et al. 2019

Solar RRL

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Inhomogeneously distributed shunt defects significantly reduce the performance of thin film solar cells. The existing uses of simple equivalent circuit models and lumped cell-level parameters are insufficient to understand the behaviors of different shunting types. This study demonstrates how the reciprocity theorem, which bridges the relationship between the terminal differential changes and local responses of a solar cell, for the current transport efficiency can be used to spatially identify ohmic and nonohmic shunt defects exemplified in CdTe solar cells. Differential electroluminescence imaging and three-dimensional finite element modeling are used to determine the current transport efficiency images. Due to the specific local differential conductance behaviors, the application of current transport efficiency imaging for the detailed analysis of different shunt defects is successfully verified in both experimental and simulation methods. In addition, the influences of two types of shunt defects on the electrical potentials and current flow of a cell are discussed. The modeling results indicate that a nonohmic shunt defect with a larger junction voltage dip and leakage current is more detrimental than an ohmic shunt defect within the cell.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatially Resolved Identification of Shunt Defects in Thin Film Solar Cells via Current Transport Efficiency Imaging Combined with 3D Finite Element Modeling

Ren

Zhang

et al. 2019

Solar RRL

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“…7 This method is universally valid and yields the differential local photocurrent collection efficiency f pc;loc . [8][9][10] Hence, an image of f pc;loc depicts the probability that a locally generated differential photocurrent arrives at the terminals of the solar cell at a given bias situation. Though being simple, general, and quantitative, the method only images a differential and not the integral situation.…”

Section: Imaging Photocurrent Collection Losses In Solar Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This assumption is uncritical because variations of I ph , if any, are usually in the range of few % and introduce only a similar error in the results. For the previous differential method, 8,10 three luminescence images are needed for each voltage point to determine the differential collection efficiency f pc;loc . This method is suitable for a quick, systematic monitoring of defects in solar cells.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Imaging photocurrent collection losses in solar cells

Huhn

Pieters

Augarten

et al. 2016

Applied Physics Letters

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A method is proposed that enables the imaging of the photocurrent collected by a solar cell under arbitrary operating conditions. The method uses a series of luminescence images under varying illumination to derive the total photocurrent collection efficiency at a given voltage bias. The resulting total photocurrent collection image directly relates to the difference between the dark and illuminated current-voltage characteristics of the cell. A crystalline silicon solar cell is used to test the method, and the images of the total photocurrent collection efficiency are used to quantify the influence of a crack on the total collected photocurrent of the solar cell.

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“…An alternative approach using luminescence measurement, taking advantage of the reciprocity relation, can be used to obtain the transport efficiency. This approach has been applied on a variety of single junction solar cells, such as silicon cells, copper‐indium‐gallium‐selenide (CIGS) cells, CdTe cells, GaAs cells, and perovskite cells . It can also be applied to MJ solar cells, despite the measurement demonstrated was under a pseudo‐realistic condition with no illumination on the current limiting subcell.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current transport efficiency analysis of multijunction solar cells by luminescence imaging

Delamarre

Jeco

et al. 2019

Progress in Photovoltaics

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Multijunction solar cells are currently leading in efficiency among all types of solar cells. However, the efficiency of those cells under concentrated illumination is limited by the trade‐off between shadowing by the contact grid and series resistances. In this paper, we provide a method using luminescence to image the current transport efficiency for a precise and rapid measurement of the resistance effect. Light beam induced current (LBIC) measurement is used for the first time to calculate current transport efficiency in comparison with that of the luminescence method. Profiles of transport efficiency in both means are in good agreement. Furthermore, a quasi‐3‐D simulation using SPICE is used to explain the transport efficiency image. We find that the carrier transport efficiency distribution is primarily influenced by the perimeter recombination of the middle cell.

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Differential electroluminescence imaging and the current transport efficiency of silicon wafer solar cells

Cited by 11 publications

References 11 publications

Spatially Resolved Identification of Shunt Defects in Thin Film Solar Cells via Current Transport Efficiency Imaging Combined with 3D Finite Element Modeling

Spatially Resolved Identification of Shunt Defects in Thin Film Solar Cells via Current Transport Efficiency Imaging Combined with 3D Finite Element Modeling

Imaging photocurrent collection losses in solar cells

Current transport efficiency analysis of multijunction solar cells by luminescence imaging

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