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

这项学术联系机会(GOALI)拨款用于研究缺陷形成机制，并为多层薄膜光伏电池的玻璃面激光划片工艺开发缺陷缓解方法，旨在更好地了解缺陷对太阳能电池性能的影响，并提高太阳能电池的效率。基于微爆炸机制，从玻璃(基板)一侧进行激光划线可以提高划线质量。然而，在划线过程中形成的缺陷并没有完全减少，并阻碍了太阳能电池板达到更高的效率。该项目的目标是使用基本方法显著提高多层薄膜太阳能电池玻璃面激光划片工艺的知识水平。通过实验和数值研究，将对缺陷进行系统的表征，阐明其形成机理，并将更好地了解基于缺陷对太阳能电池电学性能的影响来缓解缺陷的问题。开发的预测能力将有助于探索和优化划片过程。该项目的成功预计将通过减少缺陷形成，大幅提高太阳能电池的应用，从而降低生产成本，并提高太阳能电池板与替代能源的竞争力。皮？S的大力支持，一个关键的工业合作伙伴，可能会导致商业太阳能电池板开发知识的快速实施，具有广泛的社会影响。所获得的对激光划片过程的基本了解将广泛应用于薄膜太阳能电池中的其他吸收层和接触层材料。实验和数值研究还将有利于其他应用，如利用基于微爆炸的激光剥离工艺制造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.