Failure Analysis Techniques for Microsystems-Enabled Photovoltaics

Author

Yang, Benjamin B. ; Cruz-Campa, Jose Luis ; Haase, Gaddi S. ; Cole, Edward I. ; Tangyunyong, Paiboon ; Resnick, P.J. ; Kilgo, Alice C. ; Okandan, Murat ; Nielson, Gregory N.

Author_Institution

Sandia Nat. Labs., Albuquerque, NM, USA

Volume

4

Issue

1

fYear

2014

fDate

Jan. 2014

Firstpage

470

Lastpage

476

Abstract

Microsystems-enabled photovoltaics (MEPV) has great potential to meet the increasing demands for light-weight, photovoltaic solutions with high power density and efficiency. This paper describes effective failure analysis techniques to localize and characterize nonfunctional or underperforming MEPV cells. The defect localization methods such as electroluminescence under forward and reverse bias, as well as optical beam induced current using wavelengths above and below the device band gap, are presented. The current results also show that the MEPV has good resilience against degradation caused by reverse bias stresses.

Keywords

OBIC; electroluminescence; failure analysis; micromechanical devices; solar cells; stress effects; defect localization; device band gap; electroluminescence; failure analysis; forward bias; microsystems-enabled photovoltaics; optical beam induced current; reverse bias; Electrodes; Failure analysis; Metals; Photovoltaic systems; Silicon; Stress; Failure analysis; photovoltaic (PV) cells; silicon; solar energy;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photovoltaics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

2156-3381

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JPHOTOV.2013.2284864

Filename

6646197