71 research outputs found
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Development of an Accelerated Weathering Protocol using Weatherometers for Reliability Study of Mini-Modules and Encapsulation Materials
This paper describes the needs, reasoning, approaches, and technical details to establish a practical accelerated weathering test (AWT) protocol for indoor testing of the photothermal stability of encapsulation materials and encapsulated solar cells and minimodules
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Photothermal Stability of Various Module Encapsulants and Effects of Superstrate and Substrate Materials Studied for PVMaT Sources
This paper briefs the photothermal reliability studies we conducted on different encapsulation materials for some U.S. PV companies that are subcontractors of the Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology (PVMaT) program
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Development of Damp-Heat Resistant Self-Primed EVA and Non-EVA Encapsulant Formulations at NREL
Self-primed ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and non-EVA (PMG) encapsulant formulations were developed that have greater resistance to damp heat exposure at 85 deg C and 85% relative humidity (RH) (in terms of adhesion strength to glass substrates) than a commonly used commercial EVA product. The self-primed EVA formulations were developed on the basis of high-performing glass priming formulations that have previously proven to significantly enhance the adhesion strength of unprimed and primed EVA films on glass substrates during damp heat exposure. The PMG encapsulant formulations were based on an ethylene-methylacrylate copolymer containing glycidyl methacrylate
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Effects of Accelerated Exposure Testing (AET) Conditions on Performance Degradation of Solar Cells and Encapsulants
The paper briefly summarizes the results from several accelerated exposure tests (AET) studies. Causes responsible for the photothermal instability of the encapsulated Si solar cells appear to be multiple and complex
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Advanced Fuel Cell Membranes Based on Heteropolyacids
Develop the methodology for the fabrication of 3D cross-linked, hydrocarbon-based membranes using immobilized heteropolyacids (HPAs) as the proton conducting moiety
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Damp-Heat Induced Degradation of Transparent Conducting Oxides for Thin-Film Solar Cells: Preprint
The stability of intrinsic and Al-doped single- and bi-layer ZnO for thin-film CuInGaSe2 solar cells, along with Al-doped Zn1-xMgxO alloy and Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) and F-doped SnO2, was evaluated by direct exposure to damp heat (DH) at 85oC and 85% relative humidity. The results show that the DH-induced degradation rates followed the order of Al-doped ZnO and Zn1-xMgxO >> ITO > F:SnO2. The degradation rates of Al:ZnO were slower for films of higher thickness, higher substrate temperature in sputter-deposition, and with dry-out intervals. As inferred from the optical micro-imaging showing the initiation and propagation of degrading patterns and regions, the degradation behavior appears similar for all TCOs, despite the obvious difference in the degradation rate. A degradation mechanism is proposed to explain the temporal process involving thermal hydrolysis
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Study on the Humidity Susceptibility of Thin-Film CIGS Absorber
The report summarizes the research on the susceptibility of a thermally co-evaporated CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) thin-film absorber to humidity and its consequence on composition, morphology, electrical and electronic properties, and device efficiency
Nonlinear effects in microwave photoconductivity of two-dimensional electron systems
We present a model for microwave photoconductivity of two-dimensional
electron systems in a magnetic field which describes the effects of strong
microwave and steady-state electric fields. Using this model, we derive an
analytical formula for the photoconductivity associated with photon- and
multi-photon-assisted impurity scattering as a function of the frequency and
power of microwave radiation. According to the developed model, the microwave
conductivity is an oscillatory function of the frequency of microwave radiation
and the cyclotron frequency which turns zero at the cyclotron resonance and its
harmonics. It exhibits maxima and minima (with absolute negative conductivity)
at the microwave frequencies somewhat different from the resonant frequencies.
The calculated power dependence of the amplitude of the microwave
photoconductivity oscillations exhibits pronounced sublinear behavior similar
to a logarithmic function. The height of the microwave photoconductivity maxima
and the depth of its minima are nonmonotonic functions of the electric field.
It is pointed to the possibility of a strong widening of the maxima and minima
due to a strong sensitivity of their parameters on the electric field and the
presence of strong long-range electric-field fluctuations. The obtained
dependences are consistent with the results of the experimental observations.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures Labeling of the curves in Fig.3 correcte
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Oxynitride Thin Film Barriers for PV Packaging
Dielectric thin-film barrier and adhesion-promoting layers consisting of silicon oxynitride materials (SiOxNy, with various stoichiometry) were investigated. For process development, films were applied to glass (TCO, conductive SnO2:F; or soda-lime), polymer (PET, polyethylene terephthalate), aluminized soda-lime glass, or PV cell (a-Si, CIGS) substrates. Design strategy employed de-minimus hazard criteria to facilitate industrial adoption and reduce implementation costs for PV manufacturers or suppliers. A restricted process window was explored using dilute compressed gases (3% silane, 14% nitrous oxide, 23% oxygen) in nitrogen (or former mixtures, and 11.45% oxygen mix in helium and/or 99.999% helium dilution) with a worst-case flammable and non-corrosive hazard classification. Method employed low radio frequency (RF) power, less than or equal to 3 milliwatts per cm2, and low substrate temperatures, less than or equal to 100 deg C, over deposition areas less than or equal to 1000 cm2. Select material properties for barrier film thickness (profilometer), composition (XPS/FTIR), optical (refractive index, %T and %R), mechanical peel strength and WVTR barrier performance are presented
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