2011 NCN@Purdue-Intel Summer School

Notes on Photovoltaic Devices

Lecture 14
What is Different about Thin-Film PV
M. A. Alam and S. Dongaonkar
alam@purdue.edu
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN USA
NCN Summer School: July 2011
Notes on the Fundamental of Solar Cell
2
copyright 2011
This material is copyrighted by M. Alam under the
following Creative Commons license:
Conditions for using these materials is described at
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/
Alam 2011
The lecture series on solar cells
Introduction to Solar cells
Physics of Crystalline Solar cells
Simulating Solar Cells
What is different about thin film solar cell
Organic photovoltaics
3
Alam 2011
superposition and recombination
4
Outline of the lecture
4
1) Background information about thin film solar cells
2) Photo current from the transmission perspective
3) Dark current, shunt conduction, and weak diodes
4) Variability, reliability, and lifetime of solar cells
5) Conclusions
Alam 2011
Different types of solar cells
5
Crystalline Silicon
*Google Images
p-n
Amorphous silicon
p-i-n
Flexible organic
m-i-m
Alam 2011
Si too thick and expensive
Economics of solar cells
6
C-Si CdTe a-Si CIGS OPV
Material/m
2
207 50-60 64 100-125 37
Process/m
2
123 86 73 130 23-37
Total/m
2
350 130 138 230 50-80
Cost/W 1.75 0.94 -1.2 0.9-1.4 1.63 1-1.36
All costs are approximate
(J. Kalowekamo/E. Baker, Solar Energy, 2009. Goodrich, PVSC Tutorial, 2011.
c-Si installation, labor, etc. $3.75/W
Others $1.00-1.50/W
. but thin film solar cell
has their own problems !
Features of thin film solar cells
7
(2) Thin doped region
Al
a-Si:H
TCO
Laser Scribe
Glass
(1) Thin
absorption layer
(4) Grain boundaries
(3) Contact diffusion
(5) Series connection
Alam 2011
Equivalent circuit of thin film solar cells
V
oc
I
dark
max ph oc
I F V P F =
I
T
I
ph
Superposition does not hold
R
L
R
L
ph
I
( )
0
0
1
1
/
( )
ln( )
B
ph
ph
qV T
C
k
O
V
I
I T q
I I e
k I
=
= +

SH
I
d
I
R
I
8
I
T
9
Outline of the lecture
9
1) Background information about thin film solar cells
2) Photo current from the transmission perspective
3) Dark current, shunt conduction, and weak diodes
4) Variability, reliability, and lifetime of solar cells
5) Conclusions
Alam 2011
10
Basics of current flow
10
Wrong contact loss +Recombination loss
0 0
3 2
L L
n n p
J J J q q = =
0
0 0
4
4 2
L
n n
L L L R
n p n n
J J q
J J J J J
q q

=
= =
=
0 0
,
,
, , , ,
4 2
6 6
6 6
L p
L n
L n R n L p R p
q q
qG qG

=
=
+ +
0 0
,
,
, , , ,
3 2
6
6 6
L p
L n
L n R n rec L p R p rec
q
qG

(
=
(

(
=
(
+ + + +
(

Alam 2011
11
Basics of transmission over a barrier
11
, B R B
k T
R L
Ae

=
E
Left
Contact
Right
Contact
, B L B
k T
L R
Ae

=
E
Left
Contact
Right
Contact
, B R B
k T
R
Ae

=
E
Left Contact Right Contact Device
, B L B
k T
L
Ae

=
E
Alam 2011
12
Photocurrent without recombination
,
,
0
, , , ,
, ,
0
, , , ,
W
ph L p
L n
L n R n L p R p
W
L n R n
L n R n L n R n
J
dx
qG
dx

(
=
(
+ +
(

(
=
(
+ +
(

( )/
0 0
( )/ ( )/
0
0 0 0 0
E W x kT
W
E W x kT E W x kT
e
dx
e e




(
=
(
+ +
(

0 L
=
( )/
0
E W x kT
R
e

=
R
L
2 2
log cosh coth
2 2
D D
D D
L L W W
W W
W L W L
(
=
(

D
kT
L
E

Price length and point of no return .

Alam 2011
Properties of Sokel photo-current
2
log cosh
2
2
coth
2
ph
D
D
D
D
J
L
W
W
qG W L
L
W
W
W L
=
(

(

L R

L R
=
L R
<
L R
=
V
A
=0
V
bi
=V
A
>0
V
A
>V
bi
=0
V
bi
V
A
n
J
qG
Voltage dependent photocurrent, different from Si p-n junction
V
bi
Sokel and Hughes, JAP, 53(11), 1982.
14
Blocking layer and photocurrent
14
~ 0
R

V
A
=0
V
bi
=V
A
>0
V
bi
V
A
ph
J
qG
Blocking is essential for many types of thin film PV .
, ,
0
, , , ,
W
ph
L n R n
L n R n L n R n
J
dx
qG


(
=
(
+ +
(

With blocking layer

ph
J qGW =
~ 0
R

15
Photocurrent with recombination
0 n n n n
E =
/ /
0
1 e
c c
W
x W
c
dx e

( (
= =

{ }
/
1 e
n
p W
n
h
J
qG
W W

(
=

Crandall, JAP, 54(12), 19823

,
,
0
, , , ,
W
ph L p
L n
L n R n rec L p R p rec
J
dx
qG

(
=
(
+ + + +
(

16
Photo-current in crystalline cells
16
, / ,
1 e ~
n
ph L p W L n
n n n n n
J J
J
D W
qG qG qG

(
= =

Voltage independent photocurrent is unaffected by electron mirrors
Electron blocking layer does suppress dark current, increases Voc.
with electron mirror
without electron mirror
D W D W
With blocking
Without blocking
Numerical validation: Effect of blocking layer
For low quality Si PV, blocking is not essential 17
18
Photocurrent with field/recombination
18
/ ( )/ ( )/
0 0
( )/
0
0 0
/ ( )/ ( )/
( )/
0
1
n k n
k
n k n
k
x W x W x
W
ph
W x
x W x W x
W
W x
J
e e e
dx
qG
e
e e e
dx
e






(

=
(
+
(

(

=
(
+

Alam 2011
2
coth
2
D
h
D
p
J
W
W
qG
L
L W
(

(

p
D
h
E
n kT
L
Matches with numerical simulation very well
19
Outline of the lecture
19
1) Background information about thin film solar
2) Photo current from transmission perspective
3) Dark current, shunt conduction, and weak diodes
4) Variability, reliability, and lifetime of solar cells
5) Conclusions
Alam 2011
Dark current without recombination
20
0 0
L R
n
L R
R
R
L
L
n J qn q



=
+ +
, ,0 0 ,0 ,0 R L R L
n n =
, 0
,0 ,0 0
,
,
0
1
B B bi B
bi B
E k T qV k T
qV k
L
T
L
R R
Ae Ae
A e

= =
= =
0
2
, i R A
n n N =
,0 ,0
bi B
R
k T
L
qV
e n n
+
=
0
2
,
bi B
qV k T
i
A
L
e n
n
N

=
N
D
N
A
2
,0 R i A
n n N =
bi
V
,0 L D
n N =
0
R L bi
L R
qV

=
=
E
E
Alam 2011
21
Calculating dark current without recombination
21
, , 0 0 0 0
L R
n
L R
L R
L R
n J q qn



=
+ +
( )
1
bi B
q V V k T
L
R
e
A
A

=
=
2
,0
bi B
i
A
qV k T
L
n
n e
N
+
=
( )
( )/
0
2
( )/
,0 ,0
0
1
1
bi B
bi B bi B
n L R
R
q
R L
qV k V V
L
q V V k T
T k T
i
A
q
J
q n
e
N
n n
e
e

=
+
(
=

+
( )/
2 2
0
( ) /
1 1
1
bi
B B
B
q V V k T
qV k T qV k T
n bi i i
d n p
A D
V V d n n
J J J q e I e
N N
e

+
(
(
( (
= + = +
(
(

+
(


( )
2
/
( ) /
1
1
bi B
b B
q V V k T
qV k T
n bi i
A
V V d n
q e
N
e

+
(
(
=
(

+

bi
V
Theory and practice of thin film dark IV
22
A real solar cell IV seldom looks like textbook IV!
These wings helped create many complicated models.
0
1
B
qV k T
d
I I e
(


Theory Experiment
Butterfly
wings!
Alam 2011
Contact diffusion and shunt conduction
23
(2) Thin doped region
(1) Thin
absorption layer
(4) Grain boundaries
(3) Contact diffusion
A real solar cell IV seldom looks like textbook IV
Parasitic shunt leakage
24
shunt
@ low voltage
@ high voltage
intrinsic
Dongaonkar and Alam JAP, 2010
Interpretation of shunt leakage
1
2 1
shunt
V
I A
L

+
+
=
=
A
E
kT

* G. Paasch et al., JAP 106, 084502 (2009)

0
n n
J qn
d qn
dx

=
=
E
E
( )
3
2
3
2
2 2
3
9
8
a
n
n
a a
J
V L
J V V
L

=
=
*
25
Features of shunt leakage
Symmetry
Exponents
1
2 1
shunt
V
I A
L

+
+
=
Dongaonkar and Alam, EDL, 2010
26
L
-3
27
Outline of the lecture
27
1) Background information about thin film solar
2) Photo current from transmission perspective
3) Dark current, shunt conduction, and weak diodes
4) Variability, reliability, and lifetime of solar cells
5) Conclusions
Alam 2011
Contact diffusion and shunt conduction
28
(2) Thin doped region
(1) Thin
absorption layer
(3) Grain boundaries
(4) Contact diffusion
Alam 2011
Variability and weak diodes
29
/
0
/
0
0
(e 1) ( )
(e 1) ( )
ln(1 )
oc
qV kT
ph
qV kT
ph oc
oc B ph
I I I V
I I V
V k T I I
=
=
= +
L
I
( )
/
0
/
( ) e
( )(e 1)
oc
oc
qV kT
ph oc
q V V kT
ph oc
I I V
I I V

=
( )
( )
2
1
/
/
2
1
2
( )(e 1
(
)
)(e 1)
o
c
c
o
q V V kT
ph oc
q V V kT
ph oc
l V n
I V
I

Like an impact crater, a single um-sized

weak diode can drain away 1-10 mm region !!
( )
1 2
/
2 2
e !
oc oc
q V V kT
n L l

=
(karpov, PRB 69, 045325, 2004.)
(5) Series connection, shadow degradation,
and a very weak diode
30
Alam 2011
Being in shadow stresses the device
Initial panel
operating point
Load line
Shaded
panel
operating
point
Initial cell
operating point
Shaded cell
operating
point
Shaded cells can get reverse biased!
31
32
Shadow degradation
32
time
Normal
operation
Shadow
degradation
Dark current
Operating
voltage
Dongaonkar et al.
IRPS 2011
Light induced degradation
33
D. L. Staebler, et al., APL, 1977.
Y. Nakata, et al., JJAP, 1992
T. Shimizu, JJAP, 2004
Slope t
1/3
M. Stutzmann, et al., PRB, 1985
Ongoing discussion about
exponent n~1/3
34
Reaction-Diffusion Model for LID
G
R
DB
F 0 DB H
= G
dN
k N - k N N
dt
2
H DB
H H
dN dN
k N
dt dt
= -
Free H Generation:
Reaction:
~ 0
( )
2 3
1 3
0 1 3
3
f
DB H
r
k N G
N k t
k
| |

|
|
\ .
/
/
/
H
2
10
-4
10
-2
10
0
10
2
10
8
10
9
10
10
10
11


D
e
n
s
i
t
y

o
f

D
B
s

[
c
m
-
3
]
LS Time [sec]
Slope n ~0.3
Boron-doped Czochralski (Cz) crystalline PV equally
susceptible to LID. Float-zone and/or Ga doping better.
Light induced degradation in crystalline PV
metal finger
n
+
emitter
~
100 nm
p absorber
~
100 m
p
+
electron mirror
~
100 nm
back reflector
35
Alam 2011
Extrinsic and Intrinsic Solar Cell Reliability
E
x
t
r
i
n
s
i
c
Electrochemical
corrosion
Moisture Ingress
Glass fracture
Inverters reliability
Delamination
Improper insulation
Bypass diode failure
I
n
t
r
i
n
s
i
c
Light Induced
Degradation
Hot spot
breakdown
Shunt leakage
Shadow degradation
Weak diodes
36
Source - www.nrel.gov/pv/performance_reliability/pdfs/failure_references.pdf
37
conclusions
Economic incentive to develop thin film solar cell.
The unique features of thin film PV make photo-
current voltage dependent, increases probability of
formation of weak diodes and shunts.
In addition to the extrinsic reliability issues, we need
to worry about shadow degradation, light induced
degradation, etc.
The reliability/variability are key concerns making
modules less efficient than individual cells.
Alam 2011
38
Reference for images
38
http://www.viraload.com/2008/08/28/avasolar-raises-104m-for-thin-film-solar/
http://www.solarserver.com/solar-magazine/solar-news/current/kw42/nanosolar-to-expand-thin-film-cigs-solar-cell-
manufacturing-to-115mw.html
http://www.solarthinfilms.com/active/en/home/photovoltaics/photovoltaics_and_thinfilms/thinfilm_photovoltaics.html
http://gotpowered.com/2011/ge-develops-thin-film-photovoltaic-panels/
http://kypros.physics.uoc.gr/images/web2.gif