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Impact of a Finite Shunt Resistance on the Dark Spectral Response of a-Si:H/μc-Si Thin-film Multi-junction Photovoltaic Devices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 June 2011

Mauro Pravettoni  and
Alessandro Virtuani
Mauro Pravettoni
Affiliation:
University of Applied Science of Southern Switzerland, Institute of Applied Sustainability to the Built Environment (SUPSI-ISAAC), CH-6952 Canobbio, Switzerland Imperial College London, Blackett Laboratory, London, SW7 2BW, United Kingdom
Alessandro Virtuani
Affiliation:
University of Applied Science of Southern Switzerland, Institute of Applied Sustainability to the Built Environment (SUPSI-ISAAC), CH-6952 Canobbio, Switzerland
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Abstract

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) multi-junction devices have demonstrated a way to increase the efficiency of a-Si:H thin-film photovoltaic (PV) modules, which is now well above 10%. Since the current–matching behaviour of all sub-cells is a critical aspect, the measurement of the spectral response (SR) of all junctions provides valuable information to optimize the device performance under a given spectral distribution. In this work the authors investigate the impact of low shunt resistances on the SR of a double-junction a-Si:H/μc-Si PV module. The origin of a low shunt resistance in a-Si:H multi-junction devices is revised. A simple theoretical approach is then used to describe the anomalous dark SR observed experimentally as a consequence of the presence of low shunt resistances. The dark SR allows therefore to detect the presence of shunts and discriminate the defective sub-cell.

Keywords

photovoltaicthin filmdefects
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1321: Symposium A – Amorphous and Polycrystalline Thin-Film Silicon Science and Technology , 2011 , mrss11-1321-a05-08
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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References

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