Dark I-V Characteristics and Lock-in Thermography (LIT) Techniques as a Diagnostic Tools for Silicon Solar Cell After 4000 hours of Thermal Stress at 400K

Abstract

In this paper, a highly sensitive lock-in thermography system has been used; enabling the detection of periodic surface temperature oscillations below 10 μK (r.m.s) has been obtained. Spatially resolved power loss images obtained byLock-In Thermography (LIT) for a single crystalline silicon solar cell carried out. A significant difference is shown forthe solar cell with shunts, while series resistance and chargecarrier recombination cause only minor differences in the images. This system has been used to investigate edge leakage shunts currents in silicon solar cells of the construction n+pp++ PESC Passivatted Emitter Solar Cell (silicon wafers doped with Boron) after 4000 hrs of thermal stress at 400 K.  The dark I-V characteristics of the solar cell, as a diagnostic too, are studied and analysed. A decrease of the electrical parameters of the solar cell has been obtained after thermal stress.  

Keywords

• Shunts defects, lock-in-thermography, dark I-V characteristics and silicon solar cells.

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