Electroluminescence image of a multicrystalline 12:5 x 12:5 cm2 cell at 20mA/cm2 excitation current density and exposure time of 10s.
As solar cells have come of age there has been an increasing demand for photovoltaic modules to become cheaper and more efficient at solar energy conversion. The current high costs of solar energy are directly linked to the relatively low efficiency of modern panels and this, in turn, is influenced by defects within solar cells and panels. Such structural defects may stem from challenges in silicon processing and the quality of crystalline lattices or they may be caused by faulty electrical connections on otherwise functional cells. To address these issues, an array of photo-emissive diagnostic and quality control tools for solar cell research, based around camera detection systems, has been rapidly developing over the past few years.
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1. Electroluminescence for Characterisation of Solar Cells
The determination of luminescence in solar cells is an important characterisation tool. Typical solar cells often have defects which limit the efficiency or lifetime of the cell. Many of these defects can be visualised with luminescence imaging, so by using this technique the manufacturing process can be optimised to produce better cells.
CCDs with their two-dimensional array sensors, high Quantum Efficiency (QE), low read noise and down to sub-second frame read out, represent excellent tools for high-throughput testing of individual photovoltaic cells and larger panels.
Electron Multiplying (EM) CCD technology, which combines single photon sensitivity and high QE, offers additional advantages when dealing with low-light EL signals, making it possible to record the faintest of signals. Including CCD / EMCCD technology in solar cell / photovoltaic research can significantly improve the quality of solar panels as well as contribute towards development of cleaner sources of energy.More Details...
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