Troubleshooting the efficiency variation in PERC silicon solar cell pilot production line using advanced imaging characterization techniques

Passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) concept is a leading technology in industrial production of silicon solar cells at present. PERC concept boosts the efficiency of silicon solar cells through mitigating the recombination losses via re-proportionate the passivated and metallized area at the rear surface quite similar to the front surface. Deviation in solar cell efficiency numbers in a pilot production line is typical and needs to be maintained for the lowest possible. Therefore, the identification of the probable cause of efficiency variation is highly desirable in an industrial production environment. Imaging and mapping characterization techniques have been widely used to understand the fundamental characteristic of the performance parameter to achieve high performance.