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Interpretation of laser scans from thin-film polycrystalline photovoltaic modules

Book ·
OSTI ID:208062
;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
  2. National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)

Laser scanning of photovoltaic devices and modules with submillimeter resolution can provide valuable information about localized defects and cell-to-cell variations in response. There are, however, sources of possible errors, or artifacts, in interpretation that must be addressed,e specially when series-connected cells are scanned. These issues are addressed for thin film CdTe and CuInSe{sub 2} (CIS) modules and cells using a recently developed computer-controlled large-scale laser scanner at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This instrument was designed to serve as a tool for research, device and module quality control, and module failure analysis. The thrust of the report is twofold: (1) the development of reliable submillimeter module characterization techniques and analysis and (2) presentation of the results of such techniques as applied to thin film CdTe and CIS modules.

DOE Contract Number:
AC36-83CH10093
OSTI ID:
208062
Report Number(s):
CONF-941203--; ISBN 0-7803-1459-X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English