4-8 July 2016
Kramer Law building
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
<a href="http://events.saip.org.za/internalPage.py?pageId=10&confId=86">The Proceedings of SAIP2016</a> published on 24 December 2017

Qualitative comparison of advanced characterisation techniques of Photovoltaic cells

6 Jul 2016, 16:10
1h 50m
Kramer Law building

Kramer Law building

UCT Middle Campus Cape Town
Board: F.336
Poster Presentation Track F - Applied Physics Poster Session (2)

Speaker

Mr Ross Dix-Peek (NMMU)

Abstract content <br> &nbsp; (Max 300 words)<br><a href="http://events.saip.org.za/getFile.py/access?resId=0&materialId=0&confId=34" target="_blank">Formatting &<br>Special chars</a>

Electroluminescence (EL), infrared (IR) thermography, light beam induced current (LBIC) measurements and their associated techniques provide powerful non-destructive characterisation tools for photovoltaic (PV) cells. In this study, EL, IR thermography, and LBIC are compared as to determine the interdependence of the results obtained from each technique. The combination of these techniques are used to successfully identify and characterise performance limiting defects in PV cells. The LBIC measurement technique is used to perform localized cell characterization of PV cells using a focussed light beam as probe. The technique allows the determination of local photo-response and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of a cell, the extraction of device parameters and identification of performance degrading defects present in a solar cell. EL is essentially the reverse of the photovoltaic effect. When a PV device is forward biased, luminescence is emitted from active areas of the device. This then enables defects to be observed, with different defects reacting differently to varying bias levels. IR thermography also renders defects and low performing device areas to be observed. In the paper an LBIC system will be used to measure point-by-point photo-response and I-V characteristics. The performance and device parameter mapping across a PV cell will be correlated with EL and thermography on a point-by-point basis. All three system configurations were designed and constructed in accordance to requirements of the project. The initial results will be discussed in this paper.

Key words: Electroluminescence, infrared thermography, LBIC, photovoltaic, I-V

Level for award<br>&nbsp;(Hons, MSc, <br> &nbsp; PhD, N/A)?

MSc

Would you like to <br> submit a short paper <br> for the Conference <br> Proceedings (Yes / No)?

Yes

Apply to be<br> considered for a student <br> &nbsp; award (Yes / No)?

Yes

Please indicate whether<br>this abstract may be<br>published online<br>(Yes / No)

Yes

Main supervisor (name and email)<br>and his / her institution

EE van Dyk, Ernest.vanDyk@nmmu.ac.za
NMMU

Primary author

Mr Ross Dix-Peek (NMMU)

Co-authors

Mr Christiaan Pretorius (NMMU - Mathematics) Prof. Ernest van Dyk (NMMU) Dr Frederik Vorster (NMMU) Ms Jacqui Crozier (NMMU)

Presentation Materials

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