Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for localizing defects causing leakage currents in a photovoltaic element (100), a system and method for passivating defects causing leakage currents in a photovoltaic element and a system and method for passivating a shunt in a roll-to-roll photovoltaic element comprising the steps of illuminating an area (130), having at least a minimum size, of the photovoltaic element; measuring at least one electrical value of an electrical potential between electrodes of the photovoltaic element at least one specific measurement position within the illuminated area on one of the electrodes of the photovoltaic element; and determining a position of a defect based on the measured at least one photomduced electrical value and the at least one specific measurement position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thin film solar cell, in particular in strip-like farm, a photovoltaic string assembly comprising at least two solar cells according to the invention, a method of manufacturing a solar cell according to the Invention, a method of electrically connecting at least two solar cells according to the invention and a method of producing a photovoltaic string assembly comprising the solar cells of the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thin-film solar cell on the basis of IB-IIIA-VIA compound semiconductors and a method for producing such a solar cell. Between the polycrystalline IB-IIIA-VIA absorber layer of the p-type conductivity and the carrier film serving as a substrate, a back electrode of intermetallic phases of the same IB- and IIIA-metals are located which are deposited for the generation of the absorber layer. The absorber layer and the back electrode are produced in such a way that the precursor consisting of IB-IIIA-metals is vertically only incompletely converted into the photovoltaicly active absorber material from the side opposite to the carrier film by reaction with chalcogen such that intermetallic phases of the IB- and IIIA-metals are directly located on the carrier film, which metals serve as back electrode of the solar cell structure.