Line Scribe Defect Characterization through Electroluminescence

Electroluminescence (EL) occurs when light is emitted from a material in response to a current through the material. Under forward bias, a photovoltaic device will exhibit this property. Using a CCD camera, we can collect spatially resolved information on the performance of a device. This technique can also be used with photovoltaic modules. In this poster, we will focus specifically on issues within the monolithic interconnects of full scale CIGS modules. Using varied magnifications and injection current densities and comparing these EL images to their optical counterparts allows us to diagnose these problem areas. Different combinations of partial, overlapping, and/or incomplete scribing can produce defects, and in turn, different signal responses.