GOALI: Laser Scribing of Multilayer Thin Films in Solar Cells: Defect Formation and Mitigation

该资助项目为研究缺陷形成机制和开发多层薄膜光伏电池玻璃侧激光刻划工艺的缺陷缓解方法提供资金，旨在更好地了解缺陷对太阳能电池性能的影响，提高太阳能电池效率。基于微爆炸机制的玻璃（基板）侧激光划线提高了划线质量。然而，在划线过程中形成的缺陷并没有完全消除，并使太阳能电池板无法达到更高的效率。该项目的目标是利用一种基本方法，显著提高多层薄膜太阳能电池玻璃侧激光刻划工艺的知识水平。通过实验和数值研究，缺陷将被系统地表征，它们的形成机制将被阐明，并且基于它们对太阳能电池电性能的影响的缺陷缓解问题将被更好地理解。开发的预测能力将促进划线过程的勘探和优化。该项目的成功有望通过减少缺陷形成，从而降低生产成本，提高太阳能电池板与替代能源的竞争力，从而大大提高太阳能电池的应用。π吗?来自主要工业合作伙伴的强有力支持可能会导致开发的知识在商业太阳能电池板上的快速实施，并产生广泛的社会影响。对激光刻划工艺的基本认识将广泛应用于薄膜太阳能电池的其他吸收层和接触层材料。实验和数值研究也将有利于其他应用，如利用微爆炸为基础的激光提升工艺制造led和光学掩模。

This Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) grant provides funding for the investigation of defect formation mechanisms and the development of a defect mitigation approach for the glass-side laser scribing process of multilayer thin-film photovoltaic cells, aiming to better understand the influence of defects on solar cell properties and increase solar cell efficiency. Laser scribing from the glass (substrate) side, based on a micro-explosion mechanism, has led to increased scribe quality. Defects formed during scribing, however, are not entirely alleviated and keep solar panels from reaching higher efficiencies. The goal of this project is to significantly advance the state of knowledge in the glass-side laser scribing process of multilayer thin film solar cells using a fundamental approach. Via experimental and numerical investigations, defects will be systematically characterized, their formation mechanisms will be elucidated and issues in defect mitigation based on their influence on solar cell electrical properties will be better understood. The developed predictive capabilities will facilitate both exploration and optimization of scribing processes.The success of this project is expected to lead to substantial enhancement in solar cell applications through reductions in defect formation resulting in reduced production costs and greater competitiveness of solar panels with alternate energy sources. The PI?s strong support from a key industrial partner could lead to rapid implementation of the developed knowledge in commercial solar cell panels with broad societal impact. The acquired fundamental understanding of the laser scribing process will be widely applicable to other absorber and contact layer materials in thin-film solar cells. Both experimental and numerical investigations will also benefit other applications such as the fabrication of LEDs and optical masks which utilize micro-explosion-based laser lift-off processes.