Analysis of Thin-Film Inhomogeneities using Electroluminescence and LBIC Measurements

Katherine Zaunbrecher; Steve Johnston; James R. Sites

doi:10.1109/PVSC.2013.6744121

Analysis of Thin-Film Inhomogeneities using Electroluminescence and LBIC Measurements

Katherine Zaunbrecher, Steve Johnston, James R. Sites

Materials Science

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

2 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Electroluminescence (EL) and light-beam-induced-current (LBIC) mapping are used to study lab-size thin-film photovoltaic devices. Inhomogeneities seen in individual cells with these two characterization techniques are compared and analyzed. Features of interest in CdTe cells include signal variations across large areas of the cell as well as local, well-defined regions with little or no EL signal and/or reduced quantum efficiency (QE). CIGS devices exhibit these inhomogeneities as well as current crowding around the gridlines, where the current immediately around the front contacts is highest and decreases as the distance from the contacts increases. Other inhomogeneities seen using both EL and LBIC and across both technologies show variations in sheet resistance, mostly in the TCO layer.

Original language	American English
Pages	166-169
Number of pages	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2013.6744121 https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2013.6744121
State	Published - 2013
Event	39th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2013 - Tampa, FL, United States Duration: 16 Jun 2013 → 21 Jun 2013

Conference

Conference	39th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2013
Country/Territory	United States
City	Tampa, FL
Period	16/06/13 → 21/06/13

NREL Publication Number

NREL/CP-5200-61958

Keywords

Cadmium telluride
Copper indium gallium diselenide
Electroluminescence
Imaging
Photovoltaic cells

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title = "Analysis of Thin-Film Inhomogeneities using Electroluminescence and LBIC Measurements",

abstract = "Electroluminescence (EL) and light-beam-induced-current (LBIC) mapping are used to study lab-size thin-film photovoltaic devices. Inhomogeneities seen in individual cells with these two characterization techniques are compared and analyzed. Features of interest in CdTe cells include signal variations across large areas of the cell as well as local, well-defined regions with little or no EL signal and/or reduced quantum efficiency (QE). CIGS devices exhibit these inhomogeneities as well as current crowding around the gridlines, where the current immediately around the front contacts is highest and decreases as the distance from the contacts increases. Other inhomogeneities seen using both EL and LBIC and across both technologies show variations in sheet resistance, mostly in the TCO layer.",

keywords = "Cadmium telluride, Copper indium gallium diselenide, Electroluminescence, Imaging, Photovoltaic cells",

author = "Katherine Zaunbrecher and Steve Johnston and Sites, {James R.}",

year = "2013",

doi = "10.1109/PVSC.2013.6744121",

language = "American English",

pages = "166--169",

note = "39th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2013 ; Conference date: 16-06-2013 Through 21-06-2013",

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TY - CONF

T1 - Analysis of Thin-Film Inhomogeneities using Electroluminescence and LBIC Measurements

AU - Zaunbrecher, Katherine

AU - Johnston, Steve

AU - Sites, James R.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - Electroluminescence (EL) and light-beam-induced-current (LBIC) mapping are used to study lab-size thin-film photovoltaic devices. Inhomogeneities seen in individual cells with these two characterization techniques are compared and analyzed. Features of interest in CdTe cells include signal variations across large areas of the cell as well as local, well-defined regions with little or no EL signal and/or reduced quantum efficiency (QE). CIGS devices exhibit these inhomogeneities as well as current crowding around the gridlines, where the current immediately around the front contacts is highest and decreases as the distance from the contacts increases. Other inhomogeneities seen using both EL and LBIC and across both technologies show variations in sheet resistance, mostly in the TCO layer.

AB - Electroluminescence (EL) and light-beam-induced-current (LBIC) mapping are used to study lab-size thin-film photovoltaic devices. Inhomogeneities seen in individual cells with these two characterization techniques are compared and analyzed. Features of interest in CdTe cells include signal variations across large areas of the cell as well as local, well-defined regions with little or no EL signal and/or reduced quantum efficiency (QE). CIGS devices exhibit these inhomogeneities as well as current crowding around the gridlines, where the current immediately around the front contacts is highest and decreases as the distance from the contacts increases. Other inhomogeneities seen using both EL and LBIC and across both technologies show variations in sheet resistance, mostly in the TCO layer.

KW - Cadmium telluride

KW - Copper indium gallium diselenide

KW - Electroluminescence

KW - Imaging

KW - Photovoltaic cells

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U2 - 10.1109/PVSC.2013.6744121

DO - 10.1109/PVSC.2013.6744121

M3 - Paper

AN - SCOPUS:84896482728

SP - 166

EP - 169

T2 - 39th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2013

Y2 - 16 June 2013 through 21 June 2013

ER -

Analysis of Thin-Film Inhomogeneities using Electroluminescence and LBIC Measurements

Abstract

Conference

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

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