J. Deitz, S. Carnevale, S. Ringel, D. McComb, T. Grassman
{"title":"Extending characterization applications of electron channeling contrast imaging","authors":"J. Deitz, S. Carnevale, S. Ringel, D. McComb, T. Grassman","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356198","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356198","url":null,"abstract":"The scanning electron microscope based technique, electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI), is demonstrated for two new applications relevant to PV research: phase separation detection in InxGa1-xP and subsurface InAs/GaAs quantum dot visualization. For both applications, diffraction-based ECC imaging enables the observation of microstructural detail within the material of interest, beneath the sample surface, akin to what it typically acquired via transmission electron microscopy. Verification was performed through application of standard diffraction-based imaging contrast criteria. The ability to characterize phase separation and quantum dots further demonstrates ECCI's usefulness for a wide range of materials, especially in the PV community.","PeriodicalId":427842,"journal":{"name":"2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC)","volume":"14 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125604748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Highly controlled microcrystalline silicon growth using in-situ Raman spectroscopy","authors":"T. Fink, S. Muthmann, M. Meier","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356213","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356213","url":null,"abstract":"The growth of PV grade microcrystalline silicon using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is realized in a narrow process window. Thus, the stability and the controllability of deposition processes is challenging. Process drifts occur between two different deposition runs or within a single deposition run, which can lead to microcrystalline silicon material that is not optimal for thin-film silicon device applications. In the present work, we use in-situ Raman spectroscopy during silicon deposition to study the growth with high temporal and depth resolution in growth direction. It is shown that with a homogeneous crystallinity profile in growth direction the solar device conversion efficiency was increased from 7.29% to 7.67%. Hence, in this paper it is demonstrated that using in-situ Raman spectroscopy is suitable for highly controlled microcrystalline silicon processing.","PeriodicalId":427842,"journal":{"name":"2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC)","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124403484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of InGaAsSb capping layer on the structural properties of InAs/InGaAsSb quantum dots","authors":"Yeongho Kim, N. Faleev, C. Honsberg","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355809","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355809","url":null,"abstract":"The structural properties of the InAs QDs embedded in the InGaAsSb layers with varying In content of 3, 7, and 9 % have been investigated by x-ray diffraction. The In incorporation increases the in-plane and out-of-plane strain of the InGaAsSb in the structures. The density of crystalline defects is increased when the In content of 3 % is incorporated. However, the further increase of In content to 7 and 9 % leads to the decrease of the defect density as a result of the reduced lattice mismatch between the InAs QDs and InGaAsSb layers.","PeriodicalId":427842,"journal":{"name":"2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC)","volume":"7 5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116356918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kyohichiro Tada, Syuhei Kawamoto, N. Yamada, Tetsuya Kimura, M. Iwahashi, Toshiya Tadaumi, Kazuhiko Kato
{"title":"Sensor placement optimization in on-site photovoltaic module inspection robot for fast and robust failure detection","authors":"Kyohichiro Tada, Syuhei Kawamoto, N. Yamada, Tetsuya Kimura, M. Iwahashi, Toshiya Tadaumi, Kazuhiko Kato","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355841","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355841","url":null,"abstract":"A robotic crawler for on-site inspection of disconnection failure of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) module was prototyped and tested in actual PV array. Magnetic flux sensors that traced the interconnector lines of the PV module successfully detected disconnection failures. Based on the inspection result by manual inspection, robotic inspection achieved failure predictive value of 90%; however, the test revealed issues such as inspection errors due to line tracing errors of the sensor in the robot. Optimal sensor placement in the robot was investigated aiming for more robust disconnection failure detection.","PeriodicalId":427842,"journal":{"name":"2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC)","volume":"16 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128839941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
G. Brammertz, M. Buffiere, Christophe Verbist, S. Oueslati, J. Bekaert, H. Elanzeery, K. Ben Messaoud, S. Sahayaraj, M. Batuk, J. Hadermann, C. Koble, M. Meuris, J. Poortmans
{"title":"Process variability in Cu2ZnSnSe4 solar cell devices: Electrical and structural investigations","authors":"G. Brammertz, M. Buffiere, Christophe Verbist, S. Oueslati, J. Bekaert, H. Elanzeery, K. Ben Messaoud, S. Sahayaraj, M. Batuk, J. Hadermann, C. Koble, M. Meuris, J. Poortmans","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355797","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355797","url":null,"abstract":"We have fabricated 9.7% efficient Cu2ZnSnSe4/CdS/ZnO solar cells by H2Se selenization of sequentially sputtered metal layers. Despite the good efficiency obtained, process control appears to be difficult. In the present contribution we compare the electrical and physical properties of two devices with nominal same fabrication procedure, but 1% and 9.7% power conversion efficiency respectively. We identify the problem of the lower performing device to be the segregation of ZnSe phases at the backside of the sample. This ZnSe seems to be the reason for the strong bias dependent photocurrent observed in the lower performing devices, as it adds a potential barrier for carrier collection. The reason for the different behavior of the two nominally same devices is not fully understood, but speculated to be related to sputtering variability.","PeriodicalId":427842,"journal":{"name":"2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC)","volume":"2015 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127694716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
G. Bradshaw, D. Wilt, Tracy Wisler, Don Walker, C. Mann
{"title":"Stability of isotype reference cells used for multi-source solar simulator calibration","authors":"G. Bradshaw, D. Wilt, Tracy Wisler, Don Walker, C. Mann","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355856","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355856","url":null,"abstract":"Calibration of individual zones in a multi-source solar simulator using isotype reference cells presents unique challenges. Higher bandgap materials are used as filter layers to match the spectral response of an active isotype cell to its corresponding response in a full multijunction cell. Experimental results suggest that luminescence from these filter layers could occur during calibration of isotype references, thereby artificially increasing the current output. We show that proton irradiation of the filter layers can quench radiative recombination within these layers thereby reducing the luminescent coupling. We also take a look at transient responses from some isotype cells.","PeriodicalId":427842,"journal":{"name":"2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC)","volume":"30 11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131225368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zekun Ren, J. Mailoa, Zhe Liu, Haohui Liu, Sarah E. Sofia, Nasim Sahraei, S. Siah, F. Lin, T. Buonassisi, I. M. Peters
{"title":"Device impact of photon recycling and luminescent coupling on InGaP/Si tandems","authors":"Zekun Ren, J. Mailoa, Zhe Liu, Haohui Liu, Sarah E. Sofia, Nasim Sahraei, S. Siah, F. Lin, T. Buonassisi, I. M. Peters","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356236","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356236","url":null,"abstract":"We numerically evaluate the device impact of photon re-absorption on InGaP/Si tandem solar cells using a coupled optical-electronic device model. The presented simulation results provide guidelines for designing high performance InGaP/Si tandem device. We find that including the effects of photon recycling (PR) and luminescent coupling (LC) results in a 12.5% increase in optimum top-cell thickness for a two-terminal configuration. Furthermore, PR and LC affect the sensitivity of the tandem's conversion efficiency to various device parameters. As the InGaP bulk lifetime increases, there is an absolute efficiency increase of up to 0.7% for the two-terminal as well as the four-terminal configuration. Considering PR and LC furthermore reduces the power generation sensitivity to shunting in the two-terminal configuration. For the four-terminal configuration, photon re-absorption has a less significant impact.","PeriodicalId":427842,"journal":{"name":"2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC)","volume":"49 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122932867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Electrical conductivity across InP and GaAs wafer-bonded structures with miscut substrates","authors":"M. Seal, J. Mckay, M. Liao, M. Goorsky","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356150","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356150","url":null,"abstract":"Low temperature direct bonding of InP and GaAs wafer combinations using an (NH4)2S treatment are investigated for the effect of out of plane misorientation on interface electrical conductivity. The Seager-Pike model is applied to the zero-bias conductance across a range of temperatures, revealing an increase in potential barrier height across all wafer combinations as the degree of surface misorientation is increased above 4°. This demonstrates that out-of-plane misorientation is a crucial parameter for direct-bonded homo and hetero structures where interface resistivity must be minimized, such as multijunction solar cells.","PeriodicalId":427842,"journal":{"name":"2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC)","volume":"88 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133462187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yushuai Dai, S. Polly, Staffan D. Hellstroem, D. Forbes, S. Hubbard
{"title":"Carrier collection in quantum dots solar cells with barrier modification","authors":"Yushuai Dai, S. Polly, Staffan D. Hellstroem, D. Forbes, S. Hubbard","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355966","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7355966","url":null,"abstract":"InAs quantum dot (QD) has been attractive in high conversion efficiency solar cell applications, due to its extended absorption in the infrared spectrum and as a promising material for the intermediate band solar cell (IBSC). To enhance the sequential absorption process towards the concept of IBSC, modified barriers of InGaP were applied to suppress thermal escape and tunneling process in InAs quantum dots solar cells (QDSCs). Despite improved spectral response from QD absorption, InAs QDSC with InGaP barrier is associated with degradation in the bulk spectral response at room temperature; the carrier collection can be optimized via adjusting operation condition and solar cell design.","PeriodicalId":427842,"journal":{"name":"2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC)","volume":"96 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114506393","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Zaunbrecher, J. Burst, S. Seyedmohammadi, R. Malik, Jian V. Li, T. Gessert, T. Barnes
{"title":"Device fabrication using crystalline CdTe and CdTe ternary alloys grown by MBE","authors":"K. Zaunbrecher, J. Burst, S. Seyedmohammadi, R. Malik, Jian V. Li, T. Gessert, T. Barnes","doi":"10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2015.7356084","url":null,"abstract":"We fabricated epitaxial CdTe:In/CdTe:As homojunction and CdZnTe/CdTe and CdMgTe/CdTe heterojunction devices grown on bulk CdTe substrates in order to study the fundamental device physics of CdTe solar cells. Selection of emitter-layer alloys was based on passivation studies using double heterostructures as well as band alignment. Initial results show significant device integration challenges, including low dopant activation, high resistivity substrates and the development of low-resistance contacts. To date, the highest open-circuit voltage is 715 mV in a CdZnTe/CdTe heterojunction following anneal, while the highest fill factor of 52% was attained in an annealed CdTe homojunction. In general, all currentvoltage measurements show high series resistance, capacitancevoltages measurements show variable doping, and quantum efficiency measurements show low collection. Ongoing work includes overcoming the high resistance in these devices and addressing other possible device limitations such as non-optimum junction depth, interface recombination, and reduced bulk lifetime due to structural defects.","PeriodicalId":427842,"journal":{"name":"2015 IEEE 42nd Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC)","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129305303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}