Investigating PID shunting in polycrystalline silicon modules via multiscale, multitechnique characterization

Harvey, Steven P.; Moseley, John; Norman, Andrew; Stokes, Adam; Gorman, Brian; Hacke, Peter; Johnston, Steve; Al-Jassim, Mowafak

doi:10.1002/pip.2996

Title: Investigating PID shunting in polycrystalline silicon modules via multiscale, multitechnique characterization

Journal Article · Tue Feb 27 00:00:00 EST 2018 · Progress in Photovoltaics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.2996· OSTI ID:1427356

^[1]; Moseley, John ^[1];

^[1]; Stokes, Adam ^[2]; Gorman, Brian ^[2]; Hacke, Peter ^[1]; Johnston, Steve ^[1]; Al-Jassim, Mowafak ^[1]

National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)

Abstract We investigated the potential‐induced degradation (PID) shunting mechanism in multicrystalline‐silicon photovoltaic modules by using a multiscale, multitechnique characterization approach. Both field‐stressed modules and laboratory‐stressed mini modules were studied. We used photoluminescence, electroluminescence, and dark lock‐in thermography imaging to identify degraded areas at the module scale. Small samples were then removed from degraded areas, laser marked, and imaged by scanning electron microscopy. We used simultaneous electron‐beam induced current imaging and focused ion beam milling to mark around PID shunts for chemical analysis by time‐of‐flight secondary‐ion mass spectrometry or to isolate individual shunt defects for transmission electron microscopy and atom‐probe tomography analysis. By spanning a range of 10 orders of magnitude in size, this approach enabled us to investigate the root‐cause mechanisms for PID shunting. We observed a direct correlation between recombination active shunts and sodium content. The sodium content in shunted areas peaks at the SiN _X /Si interface and is consistently observed at a concentration of 0.1% to 2% in shunted areas. Analysis of samples subjected to PID recovery, either activated by electron beam or thermal effects only, reveals that recovery of isolated shunts correlates with diffusion of sodium out of the structural defects to the silicon surface. We observed the role of oxygen and chlorine in PID shunting and found that those species—although sometimes present in structural defects where PID shunting was observed—do not play a consistent role in PID shunting.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

View Accepted Manuscript (Publisher)

Cite

Export

Save

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308; DE‐AC36‐08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1427356

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1436888

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5K00-70168

Journal Information:: Progress in Photovoltaics, Journal Name: Progress in Photovoltaics; ISSN 1062-7995

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Citation Metrics:

Cited by: 27 works

Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (23)

Micro Structural Root Cause Analysis of Potential Induced Degradation in c-Si Solar Cells Naumann, V.; Hagendorf, C.; Grosser, S. Energy Procedia, Vol. 27 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2012.07.020	journal	January 2012
Sodium Accumulation at Potential-Induced Degradation Shunted Areas in Polycrystalline Silicon Modules Harvey, Steven P.; Aguiar, Jeffery A.; Hacke, Peter IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Vol. 6, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2016.2601950	journal	November 2016
Sodium Decoration of PID-s Crystal Defects after Corona Induced Degradation of Bare Silicon Solar Cells Naumann, Volker; Lausch, Dominik; Hagendorf, Christian Energy Procedia, Vol. 77 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2015.07.055	journal	August 2015
Potential-induced degradation in solar cells: Electronic structure and diffusion mechanism of sodium in stacking faults of silicon Ziebarth, Benedikt; Mrovec, Matous; Elsässer, Christian Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 116, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4894007	journal	September 2014
Potential-induced degradation in photovoltaic modules based on n-type single crystalline Si solar cells Hara, Kohjiro; Jonai, Sachiko; Masuda, Atsushi Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 140 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2015.04.037	journal	September 2015
Potential-induced degradation in photovoltaic modules: a critical review Luo, Wei; Khoo, Yong Sheng; Hacke, Peter Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 10, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1039/C6EE02271E	journal	January 2017
Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) – a powerful tool for studying mass transport over various length scales De Souza, Roger A.; Martin, Manfred physica status solidi (c), Vol. 4, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1002/pssc.200675227	journal	May 2007
Explanation of potential-induced degradation of the shunting type by Na decoration of stacking faults in Si solar cells Naumann, Volker; Lausch, Dominik; Hähnel, Angelika Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 120 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2013.06.015	journal	January 2014
PID Effect of c-Si Modules: Study of Degradation and Recovery to More Closely Mimic Field Behavior Jaeckel, Bengt; Cosic, Marijo; Arp, Juergen Israel Journal of Chemistry, Vol. 55, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1002/ijch.201400201	journal	June 2015
In situ site-specific specimen preparation for atom probe tomography Thompson, K.; Lawrence, D.; Larson, D. J. Ultramicroscopy, Vol. 107, Issue 2-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultramic.2006.06.008	journal	February 2007
Improved quantification of grain boundary segregation by EDS in a dedicated STEM Alber, U.; Müllejans, H.; Rühle, M. Ultramicroscopy, Vol. 69, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3991(97)00036-3	journal	September 1997
Atom probe tomography Kelly, Thomas F.; Miller, Michael K. Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 78, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2709758	journal	March 2007
On the mechanism of potential-induced degradation in crystalline silicon solar cells Bauer, J.; Naumann, V.; Großer, S. physica status solidi (RRL) - Rapid Research Letters, Vol. 6, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1002/pssr.201206276	journal	July 2012
Hardware and Techniques for Cross- Correlative TEM and Atom Probe Analysis Gorman, Brian P.; Diercks, David; Salmon, Norman Microscopy Today, Vol. 16, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1017/S1551929500059782	journal	July 2008
Sodium Outdiffusion from Stacking Faults as Root Cause for the Recovery Process of Potential-induced Degradation (PID) Lausch, Dominik; Naumann, Volker; Graff, Andreas Energy Procedia, Vol. 55 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2014.08.013	journal	January 2014
Microstructural Analysis of Crystal Defects Leading to Potential-Induced Degradation (PID) of Si Solar Cells Naumann, Volker; Lausch, Dominik; Großer, Stephan Energy Procedia, Vol. 33 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2013.05.042	journal	January 2013
Development of coring procedures applied to Si, CdTe, and CIGS solar panels Moutinho, H. R.; Johnston, S.; To, B. Solar Energy, Vol. 161 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2017.11.071	journal	February 2018
PID: from material properties to outdoor performance and quality control counter measures Berghold, J.; Koch, S.; Pingel, S. SPIE Optics + Photonics for Sustainable Energy, SPIE Proceedings https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2188464	conference	September 2015
Search for Microstructural Defects as Nuclei for PID-Shunts in Silicon Solar Cells Naumann, Volker; Breitenstein, Otwin; Bauer, Jan 2017 IEEE 44th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2017 IEEE 44th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC) https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2017.8366322	conference	June 2017
Investigating PID Shunting in Polycrystalline Silicon Modules via Multi-Scale, Multi-Technique Characterization Harvey, Steven P.; Moseley, John; Stokes, Adam 2017 IEEE 44th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2017 IEEE 44th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC) https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2017.8366324	conference	June 2017
Analytical (S)TEM Studies of Defects Associated with PID in Stressed Si PV Modules Norman, Andrew; Stokes, Adam; Moseley, John 2017 IEEE 44th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2017 IEEE 44th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC) https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2017.8366212	conference	June 2017
Assessing the causes of encapsulant delamination in PV modules Wohlgemuth, John H.; Hacke, Peter; Bosco, Nick 2016 IEEE 43rd Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC) https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2016.7749589	conference	June 2016
Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) – a powerful tool for studying mass transport over various length scales De Souza, Roger A.; Martin, Manfred physica status solidi (c), Vol. 4, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1002/pssc.200790007	journal	May 2007

Cited By (2)

Non-destructive approach for severity investigation of shunts in crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules by combination of electroluminescence imaging and lock-in thermography Roy, Subinoy; Gupta, Rajesh Measurement Science and Technology, Vol. 30, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6501/ab0265	journal	February 2019
Investigation on Potential-Induced Degradation in a 50 MWp Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Power Plant Huang, Jingsheng; Li, Hongtao; Sun, Yaojie International Journal of Photoenergy, Vol. 2018 https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/3286124	journal	October 2018