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Local series resistance mapping of silicon solar cells by microwave photoconductivity decay measurements
Author(s) -
Ballif C.,
Peters S.,
Borchert D.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/pip.493
Subject(s) - equivalent series resistance , photoconductivity , microwave , resistive touchscreen , common emitter , materials science , optoelectronics , series (stratigraphy) , silicon , solar cell , contact resistance , laser , optics , electrical engineering , physics , nanotechnology , voltage , engineering , paleontology , layer (electronics) , quantum mechanics , biology
We present a new non‐destructive mapping technique which yields information on the local series resistance in Si solar cells. The technique is based on microwave photoconductivity decay measurements performed on reverse‐biased Si solar cells. For reverse‐biased devices, the initial decay time measured after a high‐intensity laser pulse is shown to be directly proportional to the local series resistances between the excited area and the cell metallisation. We illustrate how high contact resistance between the fingers and the emitter, resistive back‐surface contacts or finger interruptions lead to an increase of the microwave detected decay time. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.