Electrochemical Investigation of Light-Induced Plating of Nickel on Si Solar Cells and Study of Nickel Silicide Formation

We investigated the migration of Sn and Pb onto the Ag fingers of crystalline Si solar cells in photovoltaic modules aged in field for 6 years. Layers of Sn and Pb were found on the Ag fingers down to the edge of the solar cells. This phenomenon is not observed in a standard acceleration test condition for PV modules. In contrast to the acceleration test conditions, field aging subjects the PV modules to solar irradiation and moisture condensation at the interface between the solar cells and the encapsulant. The solder ribbon releases Sn and Pb via repeated galvanic corrosion and the Sn and Pb precipitate on Ag fingers due to the light-induced plating under solar irradiation.

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Copper Light-induced Plating Contacts with Ni Seed-layer for mc-Si Solar Cells after Laser Ablation of SiNx:H

Energy Procedia ◽

10.1016/j.egypro.2013.07.337 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 38 ◽

pp. 713-719 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Alexandru Focsa ◽

Daniele Blanc ◽

Gilles Poulain ◽

Corina Barbos ◽

Michel Gauthier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Laser Ablation ◽

Seed Layer ◽

Si Solar Cells ◽

Light Induced Plating

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Study of Nickel Silicide Formation and Associated Fill-Factor Loss Analysis for Silicon Solar Cells With Plated Ni-Cu Based Metallization

IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics ◽

10.1109/jphotov.2015.2463741 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 5 (6) ◽

pp. 1554-1562 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Mehul C. Raval ◽

Amruta P. Joshi ◽

Sandeep S. Saseendran ◽

Stephan Suckow ◽

S. Saravanan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Fill Factor ◽

Nickel Silicide ◽

Silicon Solar Cells ◽

Silicide Formation ◽

Loss Analysis

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Metal Induced Growth of Poly-Si Solar Cells and Silicide Nanowires by use of Multiple Catalyst Layers

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-862-a21.5 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 862 ◽

Author(s):

Joondong Kim ◽

Chunhai Ji ◽

Wayne A. Anderson

Keyword(s):

Thin Films ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Metal Silicide ◽

Silicide Formation ◽

Catalyst Layers ◽

Si Solar Cells ◽

Sputtering Power ◽

Growth Method ◽

Metal Induced Growth ◽

Sputtering System

AbstractPolycrystalline Si thin films and single NiSi crystalline nanowires were made by the metal induced growth method. The different growth mechanisms for poly-Si and nanowires lie in the metal silicide formation. Poly-Si growth is based on metal disilicide formation and the growth of nanowires depends on metal monosilicide formation. The metal silicide formation depends on catalyst species and sputtering power. Following catalyst coating, Si was deposited in a DC magnetron sputtering system to grow poly-Si or nanowires. Several metals (Ni, Co, Co/Ni and Pd) were used as catalysts to confirm the nanowire growth mechanism as well as to fabricate solar cells. Poly-Si thin films were about 5 μm thick with up to 1 μm crystallite size. Nanowires were up to 10 μm long with about 50 nm diameter.

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