Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring the high-voltage induced degradation (PID) of at least one solar cell. According to the invention, a conductive plastic material is pressed on the upper side or bottom side of the respective solar cell, in particular on the front side thereof, and a DC voltage greater than 50 V is applied between the plastic material and the respective solar cell. Alternatively, corona discharges may be applied to solar cells or photovoltaic modules. In one embodiment, a characteristic electric parameter of the respective solar cell or of the photovoltaic module is repeatedly measured at time intervals. The method according to the invention can be carried out on individual solar cells, which can be further processed directly after passing the test and without further complex processing, e.g. to a photovoltaic module. In principle, the method is also suitable for measurements on complete photovoltaic modules.

Abstract: A crystalline solar cell is provided that includes a front-sided n-doped area and a rear-sided p-doped area, a front-sided contact, a rear-sided contact and at least one front-sided first layer made from SiN. In order to reduce degradation of the parallel resistance, a second layer made of at least one material selected from the group SiN, SiOx, Al2Ox, SiOxNy: Hz, a-Si:H, TiOx or containing said type of material is disposed between the first layer and the n-doped area and is then doped for forming imperfections.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a solar cell having a substrate made of silicon, which substrate has a silicon oxide layer present on the surface of the substrate and an antireflection layer applied to the silicon oxide layer, which antireflection layer is deposited onto the dielectric passivation layer in a process chamber. According to the invention, in order to achieve a stability of corresponding solar cells or solar cell modules produced therefrom against a potential induced degradation (PID), the dielectric passivation layer is formed from the surface of the substrate in the process chamber by means of a plasma containing an oxidizing gas.

Abstract: A method for producing a crystalline solar cell having a p-doped silicon substrate with an n-doped region on the front side and also at least one antireflection layer is provided. The method includes uniformly applying a solution containing phosphoric acid to the entire front-side surface of the solar cell, forming phosphosilicate glass in a first thermal treatment step applied to the solar cell, and, in the first thermal treatment step or a subsequent thermal treatment step, forming silicon-containing precipitates near the surface with a homogeneous or substantially homogeneous surface coverage in a layer on the front-side surface of the substrate in the range of between 5% and 100%.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a solar cell having a substrate made of silicon, which substrate has a silicon oxide layer present on the surface of the substrate and an antireflection layer applied to the silicon oxide layer, which antireflection layer is deposited onto the dielectric passivation layer in a process chamber. According to the invention, in order to achieve a stability of corresponding solar cells or solar cell modules produced therefrom against a potential induced degradation (PID), the dielectric passivation layer is formed from the surface of the substrate in the process chamber by means of a plasma containing an oxidizing gas.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring the high-voltage induced degradation (PID) of at least one solar cell. According to the invention, a conductive plastic material is pressed on the upper side or bottom side of the respective solar cell, in particular on the front side thereof, and a DC voltage greater than 50 V is applied between the plastic material and the respective solar cell. Alternatively, corona discharges may be applied to solar cells or photovoltaic modules. In one embodiment, a characteristic electric parameter of the respective solar cell or of the photovoltaic module is repeatedly measured at time intervals. The method according to the invention can be carried out on individual solar cells, which can be further processed directly after passing the test and without further complex processing, e.g. to a photovoltaic module. In principle, the method is also suitable for measurements on complete photovoltaic modules.

Abstract: A method for producing contacts made of electrically conductive material on solar cells is provided. The method includes applying a dopant source to at least one face of a substrate; forming phosphosilicate glass by diffusing dopant into the substrate in a first thermal step; locally applying laser radiation to the substrate in regions in which the electrically conductive material is to be applied in order to form the electrically conductive contact; measuring the layer resistivity developed in the surface region of the substrate on the dopant source side; applying the electrically conductive material to the lasered areas; measuring the specific contact resistance between the lasered area and the electrically conductive material; determining a pulse energy density range of the laser beam from the measured values; applying laser radiation having a pulse energy density within the determined pulse energy density range.

Abstract: The invention relates to a solar cell module comprising electrically interconnected solar cells with front and backs, a transparent first layer running along the front sides, which is covered on the front laterally by a transparent cover, as well as a second layer running along the backsides, which is covered at the back by a second cover. In order to prevent and/or minimize a potential-induced reduction to a large extent and/or obtain an improved stability vis-à-vis thermo-cycling, it is suggested that first layer consists of a first polymer material and the second layer consists of a second polymer material deviating from the first polymer material and the fact that specific resistance is larger p1 of the first material is greater than specific resistance p2 of the second material.

Abstract: Process for producing strip-shaped and/or point-shaped electrically conducting contacts on a semiconductor component like a solar cell, includes the steps of applying a moist material forming the contacts in a desired striplike and/or point-like arrangement on at least one exterior surface of the semiconductor component; drying the moist material by heating the semiconductor component to a temperature T1 and keeping the semiconductor element at temperature T1 over a time t1; sintering the dried material by heating the semiconductor component to a temperature T2 and keeping the semiconductor component at temperature T2 over a time t2; cooling the semiconductor component to a temperature T3 that is equal or roughly equal to room temperature, and keeping the semiconductor component at temperature T3 over a time T3; cooling the semiconductor component to a temperature T4 with T4??35° C.

Abstract: A crystalline solar cell is provided that includes a front-sided n-doped area and a rear-sided p-doped area, a front-sided contact, a rear-sided contact and at least one front-sided first layer made from SiN. In order to reduce degradation of the parallel resistance, a second layer made of at least one material selected from the group SiN, SiOx, Al2Ox, SiOxNy:Hz, a-Si:H, TiOx or containing said type of material is disposed between the first layer and the n-doped area and is then doped for forming imperfections.

Abstract: Process for producing strip-shaped and/or point-shaped electrically conducting contacts on a semiconductor component like a solar cell, includes the steps of applying a moist material forming the contacts in a desired striplike and/or point-like arrangement on at least one exterior surface of the semiconductor component; drying the moist material by heating the semiconductor component to a temperature T1 and keeping the semiconductor element at temperature T1 over a time t1; sintering the dried material by heating the semiconductor component to a temperature T2 and keeping the semiconductor component at temperature T2 over a time t2; cooling the semiconductor component to a temperature T3 that is equal or roughly equal to room temperature, and keeping the semiconductor component at temperature T3 over a time T3; cooling the semiconductor component to a temperature T4 with T4??35° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for localizing production errors in a semiconductor component part by generating excess charge carriers in the semiconductor component part and by determining the electric potential in said part. In order to be able to localize production errors with simple measures and without damaging the semiconductor component part, it is suggested that the semiconductor component part be stimulated to become luminescent and that the locally resolved luminescence intensity distribution be determined in order to determine the locally resolved distribution of the electric potential in the semiconductor component part.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for localizing production errors in a semiconductor component part by generating excess charge carriers in the semiconductor component part and by determining the electric potential in said part. In order to be able to localize production errors with simple measures and without damaging the semiconductor component part, it is suggested that the semiconductor component part be stimulated to become luminescent and that the locally resolved luminescence intensity distribution be determined in order to determine the locally resolved distribution of the electric potential in the semiconductor component part.