Nano-XRF Analysis of Metal Impurities Distribution at PL Active Grain Boundaries During mc-Silicon Solar Cell Processing

Bernardini, Simone; Johnston, Steve; West, Bradley; Naerland, Tine U.; Stuckelberger, Michael; Lai, Barry; Bertoni, Mariana I.

doi:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2016.2621340

Title: Nano-XRF Analysis of Metal Impurities Distribution at PL Active Grain Boundaries During mc-Silicon Solar Cell Processing

Abstract

Metal impurities are known to hinder the performance of commercial Si-based solar cells by inducing bulk recombination, increasing leakage current, and causing direct shunting. Recently, a set of photoluminescence (PL) images of neighboring multicrystalline silicon wafers taken from a cell production line at different processing stages has been acquired. Both band-to-band PL and sub-bandgap PL (subPL) images showed various regions with different PL signal intensity. Interestingly, in several of these regions a reversal of the subPL intensity was observed right after the deposition of the antireflective coating. In this paper, we present the results of the synchrotron-based nano-X-ray fluorescence imaging performed in areas characterized by the subPL reversal to evaluate the possible role of metal decoration in this uncommon behavior. Furthermore, the acquisition of a statistically meaningful set of data for samples taken at different stages of the solar cell manufacturing allows us to shine a light on the precipitation and rediffusion mechanisms of metal impurities at these grain boundaries.

Authors:

Bernardini, Simone ^[1]; Johnston, Steve ^[2]; West, Bradley ^[1]; Naerland, Tine U. ^[1]; Stuckelberger, Michael ^[1]; Lai, Barry ^[3]; Bertoni, Mariana I. ^[1]

Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)

Publication Date:: Mon Nov 14 00:00:00 EST 2016

Research Org.:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

OSTI Identifier:: 1342823

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5K00-67890
Journal ID: ISSN 2156-3381

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 7; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2156-3381

Publisher:: IEEE

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si); photoluminescence (PL); PL band reversal sub-band PL; X-ray fluorescence

Citation Formats


                    Bernardini, Simone, Johnston, Steve, West, Bradley, Naerland, Tine U., Stuckelberger, Michael, Lai, Barry, and Bertoni, Mariana I. Nano-XRF Analysis of Metal Impurities Distribution at PL Active Grain Boundaries During mc-Silicon Solar Cell Processing.  United States: N. p., 2016. 
Web.  doi:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2016.2621340.

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                    Bernardini, Simone, Johnston, Steve, West, Bradley, Naerland, Tine U., Stuckelberger, Michael, Lai, Barry, & Bertoni, Mariana I. Nano-XRF Analysis of Metal Impurities Distribution at PL Active Grain Boundaries During mc-Silicon Solar Cell Processing.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2016.2621340

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                    Bernardini, Simone, Johnston, Steve, West, Bradley, Naerland, Tine U., Stuckelberger, Michael, Lai, Barry, and Bertoni, Mariana I. Mon .  
"Nano-XRF Analysis of Metal Impurities Distribution at PL Active Grain Boundaries During mc-Silicon Solar Cell Processing".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2016.2621340.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1342823.

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@article{osti_1342823,

  title        = {Nano-XRF Analysis of Metal Impurities Distribution at PL Active Grain Boundaries During mc-Silicon Solar Cell Processing},

  author       = {Bernardini, Simone and Johnston, Steve and West, Bradley and Naerland, Tine U. and Stuckelberger, Michael and Lai, Barry and Bertoni, Mariana I.},

  abstractNote = {Metal impurities are known to hinder the performance of commercial Si-based solar cells by inducing bulk recombination, increasing leakage current, and causing direct shunting. Recently, a set of photoluminescence (PL) images of neighboring multicrystalline silicon wafers taken from a cell production line at different processing stages has been acquired. Both band-to-band PL and sub-bandgap PL (subPL) images showed various regions with different PL signal intensity. Interestingly, in several of these regions a reversal of the subPL intensity was observed right after the deposition of the antireflective coating. In this paper, we present the results of the synchrotron-based nano-X-ray fluorescence imaging performed in areas characterized by the subPL reversal to evaluate the possible role of metal decoration in this uncommon behavior. Furthermore, the acquisition of a statistically meaningful set of data for samples taken at different stages of the solar cell manufacturing allows us to shine a light on the precipitation and rediffusion mechanisms of metal impurities at these grain boundaries.},

  doi          = {10.1109/JPHOTOV.2016.2621340},

  journal      = {IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics},

  number       = 1,

  volume       = 7,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Nov 14 00:00:00 EST 2016},

  month        = {Mon Nov 14 00:00:00 EST 2016}

}

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https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2016.2621340

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Defect activation and annihilation in CIGS solar cells: an operando X-ray microscopy study
text, January 2020

Stuckelberger, Michael E.; Nietzold, Tara; West, Bradley
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
DOI: 10.3204/pubdb-2019-03853

Defect activation and annihilation in CIGS solar cells: an operando x-ray microscopy study
journal, February 2020

Stuckelberger, Michael E.; Nietzold, Tara; West, Bradley
Journal of Physics: Energy, Vol. 2, Issue 2
DOI: 10.1088/2515-7655/ab5fa6

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Title: Nano-XRF Analysis of Metal Impurities Distribution at PL Active Grain Boundaries During mc-Silicon Solar Cell Processing

Abstract

Citation Formats

Defect activation and annihilation in CIGS solar cells: an operando X-ray microscopy study text, January 2020

Defect activation and annihilation in CIGS solar cells: an operando x-ray microscopy study journal, February 2020

Defect activation and annihilation in CIGS solar cells: an operando X-ray microscopy study
text, January 2020

Defect activation and annihilation in CIGS solar cells: an operando x-ray microscopy study
journal, February 2020