Imaging, microscopic analysis, and modeling of a CdTe module degraded by heat and light

Johnston, Steve; Albin, David S.; Hacke, Peter; Harvey, Steven P.; Moutinho, H. R.; Jiang, Chun‐Sheng; Xiao, Chuanxiao; Parikh, Anuja; Nardone, Marco; Al‐Jassim, Mowafak; Metzger, Wyatt K.

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2017.12.021

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…In this process, Cu (or related defect complex) would serve as a reactant and the products would include both deep recombination centers and shallow acceptors [51]. This theory predicts narrowing of the depletion width and increase in the built-in electric field as degradation increases, which our KPFM and SIMS data support [52].…”

Section: Theory and Modeling Of Cdte Module Degradationsupporting

confidence: 65%

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From Modules to Atoms: Techniques and Characterization for Identifying and Understanding Device-Level Photovoltaic Degradation Mechanisms

Johnston

Moutinho

Jiang

et al. 2019

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Section: Theory and Modeling Of Cdte Module Degradationsupporting

confidence: 65%

“…Using KPFM potential imaging across CdTe devices we show a change in depletion width for the degraded CdTe devices with Cu accumulation at the CdS/CdTe interface [48]. The least-degraded piece and most-degraded piece cored from the module were both cleaved and polished by ion milling.…”

Section: Cdte Electrical Potential Mappingmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Modules to Atoms: Techniques and Characterization for Identifying and Understanding Device-Level Photovoltaic Degradation Mechanisms

Johnston

Moutinho

Jiang

et al. 2019

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“…[23,[27][28][29][30] Optical (or IR) techniques have the advantages that they can be easily used for monitoring common solution processing methods such as spin coating [23,27,31] or blade coating [32,33] and that they can provide large-area information at low cost using cameras as imaging detectors, while the necessary large-area excitation can be provided by high-power light-emitting diodes. Luminescence and reflectance imaging on large areasestablished already in other PV technologies as silicon, [34] GaAs, [35] CdTe, [36] and CIGS [37] -as well as luminescence microscopy [38,39] demonstrated to yield critical information on the perovskite thin-film quality and the performance of devices incorporating these films. [40][41][42][43][44] However, to the best of our knowledge, there is currently no technique available combining both imaging capability on large areas and rapid real-time operation for analyzing the dynamics of the perovskite formation.…”

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confidence: 99%

Correlative In Situ Multichannel Imaging for Large‐Area Monitoring of Morphology Formation in Solution‐Processed Perovskite Layers

et al. 2021

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The unprecedentedly fast rise in power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) over the last decade [1] now surpassing 25%-triggered enormous scientific and industrial interest in solution-processed, large-area perovskite photovoltaics. [2] However, PCEs of PSCs and perovskite modules processed with scalable coating techniques lag behind solution-processed small-area PSCs. [3] The record certified PCE of a large, solution-processed perovskite module (802 cm 2 ) of 17.9% was achieved by Panasonic. [4] Some of the losses on upscaling to modules originate from the monolithic interconnection schemes, including the sheet resistances of the transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), the series resistances of the TCO-Electrode interconnections, and the inactive areas due to the scribing lines. [5] A decrease in PCE of around 1.5% abs is typical for laser patterning of the three scribe lines (p1, p2, p3), nearly independent on the module's aperture area. [6] However, just as in other researched thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technologies, [7] the dominant losses of PCE on large-area perovskite modules are caused by morphological defects in the absorber layer such as microcracks, material impurities, or, most commonly, shunt paths. Even one defect in the perovskite thin film can shunt a whole subcell or decrease its performance substantially by introducing nonradiative recombination. [6] These upscaling losses statistically increase with the modules' aperture area because the probability of defects scales with the area, limiting the achievable PCE of the whole module. [8] The challenge of depositing homogeneous high-quality perovskite thin films on large areas arises from the complexity of the involved kinetic and thermodynamic processes. [9] In this work, we will focus on scalable perovskite processing from solution (although thermal coevaporation of the precursor materials [10] is a very promising fabrication route, as well). The reason for this focus is simply that the experimental techniques presented here are not yet adapted to operation in vacuum.The formation of perovskite thin films from solution is commonly described via the following four stages: [3] I) coatingdeposition of a wet film of precursor solution; II) drying-

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“…Overall, the cell degradation is homogeneous rather than due to localized types of degradation such as shunting, extended defects, or solder faults. [ 37,38 ] The images also show no degradation in series resistance. We applied different forward‐bias currents to investigate the impact of series resistance in the EL map.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 91%

Long‐Term Degradation of Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact Silicon Solar Cell under Light and Heat

et al. 2021

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Advanced designs enable high‐efficiency solar cells; however, more complex structures create new long‐term stability concerns. Herein, the long‐term degradation processes affecting advanced silicon solar cells using laboratory‐based illumination and heating over hundreds of hours are investigated. The activation energy for the degradation of voltage is estimated and the degradation rates to normal solar cell operating temperature ranges are extrapolated. The cell degradation observed at high temperatures in the lab is kinetically similar to the process affecting field‐deployed modules contributing to 0.37% year−1 of annualized degradation. Electroluminescence and photoluminescence mapping show that the degradation is dominated by minority carrier lifetime reduction. Suns−open‐circuit voltage and light beam‐induced current results indicate that the degradation could result from passivation degradation at the surface or defect formation in the near‐subsurface region, leading to increased minority carrier recombination. This work highlights a long‐term degradation process under elevated temperature and illumination that may continue to affect cells in an irreversible manner that is separate from recoverable light‐induced degradation and light‐ and elevated temperature‐induced degradation.

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Imaging, microscopic analysis, and modeling of a CdTe module degraded by heat and light

Cited by 13 publications

References 15 publications

From Modules to Atoms: Techniques and Characterization for Identifying and Understanding Device-Level Photovoltaic Degradation Mechanisms

From Modules to Atoms: Techniques and Characterization for Identifying and Understanding Device-Level Photovoltaic Degradation Mechanisms

Correlative In Situ Multichannel Imaging for Large‐Area Monitoring of Morphology Formation in Solution‐Processed Perovskite Layers

Long‐Term Degradation of Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact Silicon Solar Cell under Light and Heat

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