Nanometer-Scale Measurement of Grid Finger Electrical Conduction Pathways to Detect Series Resistance Degradation of Utility-Scale Silicon Solar Cells

Jiang, Chun-Sheng; Johnston, Steve; Gaulding, Elizabeth Ashley; Deceglie, Michael G.; Flottemesch, Robert; Xiao, Chuanxiao; Moutinho, Helio R.; Sulas-Kern, Dana B.; Mangum, John; Silverman, Timothy J.; Al-Jassim, Mowafak; Repins, Ingrid

doi:10.1109/jphotov.2022.3206546

Nanometer-Scale Measurement of Grid Finger Electrical Conduction Pathways to Detect Series Resistance Degradation of Utility-Scale Silicon Solar Cells

Journal Article · Fri Sep 23 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/jphotov.2022.3206546· OSTI ID:1899963

^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; Flottemesch, Robert ^[2]; Xiao, Chuanxiao ^[1]; Moutinho, Helio R. ^[1]; Sulas-Kern, Dana B. ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; Al-Jassim, Mowafak ^[1]; ^[1]

National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden (United States)
Luminace LLC, New York, NY (United States)

Here, we report on an electrical conduction mechanism for series resistance (Rs) degradation observed in a utility-scale photovoltaic power plant by imaging the local resistance at the Ag/Si interface of the c-Si front metallization. Scanning spreading resistance microscopy imaging with nanometer (nm) scale spatial resolution revealed that the number of point or small-area electrical contacts decreased substantially in a degraded cell compared to an unaffected cell, demonstrating the root cause of Rs degradation. The decrease in electrical contacts is likely caused by a structural change - the Ag particles in contact with the Si cell (or via a nm-thickness tunneling glass layer) aggregate into bulk Ag, and a highly resistive glass frit forms a belt shape at the Ag/Si interface. This resistive belt, with a thickness of ~1 um, blocks the current conduction from the cell emitter to the Ag grid. Our microscopy results help to unravel unambiguously the degradation mechanism and demonstrate an example of the multiscale characterization approach for understanding degradation in field-weathered PV module.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

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

OSTI ID:: 1899963

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5K00-83107; MainId:83880; UUID:8d0a348e-3db9-457d-bf1e-b5f210be100e; MainAdminID:65454

Journal Information:: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Journal Name: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 12; ISSN 2156-3381

Publisher:: IEEECopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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