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Title: Automated detection of rear contact voids in perc cells with photoluminescence imaging

Journal Article · · Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL (United States); US Photovoltaic Manufacturing Consortium, Orlando, FL (United States)
  2. SONOSCAN, Inc., Elk Grove Village, IL (United States)
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An image-processing method combined with Fourier analysis is introduced here in this work as a rapid and highly-automated method of detecting rear contact voids in passivated emitter and rear contact cells (PERC). This approach utilizes photoluminescence (PL) imaging to locate the central point of the most detrimental type of voids and associate a void fraction to each cell in a manner of seconds. Acoustic microscopy and scanning electron microscopy are also used as complementary tools to confirm the presence of voids detection using PL imaging and provide more insight into the actual physical mechanism of what is observed in PL measurements.

Research Organization:
State Univ. of New York (SUNY), Albany, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
Grant/Contract Number:
EE0004947
OSTI ID:
1538851
Journal Information:
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 179, Issue C; ISSN 0927-0248
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 2 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (10)

A Roadmap for PERC Cell Efficiency towards 22%, Focused on Technology-related Constraints journal January 2014
Series Resistance Analysis of Passivated Emitter Rear Contact Cells Patterned Using Inkjet Printing journal January 2012
Influence of Al Particle Size and Firing Profile on Void Formation in Rear Local Contacts of Silicon Solar Cells journal January 2016
Void formation in screen-printed local aluminum contacts modeled by surface energy minimization journal December 2016
Distribution of Silicon in the Aluminum Matrix for Rear Passivated Solar Cells journal January 2011
Nondestructive Characterization of Voids in Rear Local Contacts of PERC-Type Solar Cells journal January 2015
Quantification of Void Defects on PERC Solar Cell Rear Contacts journal August 2016
Photoluminescence imaging for determining the spatially resolved implied open circuit voltage of silicon solar cells journal January 2014
Nondestructive local analysis of current–voltage characteristics of solar cells by lock-in thermography journal October 2011
Void Formation on PERC Solar Cells and Their Impact on the Electrical Cell Parameters Verified by Luminescence and Scanning Acoustic Microscope Measurements journal December 2015

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Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
photoluminescence
PERC cells
voids
recombination
acoustic microscopy