Solar cell contacts

Conference · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · Conf. Rec. IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5449474

Meier, D L; Campbell, R B; Davis, J R; Rai-Choudhury, P; Sienkiewicz, L J

Two experimental contact systems were examined and compared to a baseline contact system consisting of evaporated layers of titanium, palladium, and silver and an electroplated layer of copper. The first experimental contact system consisted of evaporated layers of titanium, nickel, and copper and an electroplated layer of copper. This system performed as well as the baseline system in all respects, including its response to temperature stress tests, to a humidity test, and to an accelerated aging test. In addition, the cost of this system is estimated to be only 43% of the cost of the baseline system at a production level of 25 MW/year. The second experimental contact system consisted of evaporated layers of nickel and copper and an electroplated layer of copper. Cells with this system show serious degradation in a temperature stress test at 350/sup 0/C for 30 minutes. Auger Electron Spectroscopy was used to show that the evaporated nickel layer is not an adequate barrier to copper diffusion even at temperatures as low as 250/sup 0/C. This fact brings into question the longterm reliability of this contact system.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse, Advanced Energy Systems Division, Pittsburgh, PA
• OSTI ID: 5449474
• Report Number(s): CONF-820906-
• Journal Information: Conf. Rec. IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf.; (United States), Conference: 16. IEEE photovoltaics specialists conference, San Diego, CA, USA, 28 Sep 1982
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR CELLS
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
AGING
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COPPER
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
DIFFUSION BARRIERS
ELECTROPLATING
HUMIDITY
MATERIALS TESTING
NICKEL
PALLADIUM
RELIABILITY
SILVER
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMAL DEGRADATION
TITANIUM
VAPOR PLATING
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRODEPOSITION
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
LYSIS
METALS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PLATING
PLATINUM METALS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPECTROSCOPY
SURFACE COATING
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion