Title :
The use of plasma emission diagnostics to improve the performance of large-area a-Si PV modules
Author :
Carlson, D.E. ; DiColli, M. ; Jackson, F. ; Ganguly, G. ; Bennett, M.
Author_Institution :
North America Technol. Center, BP Solar, Toano, VA, USA
Abstract :
We have developed an in-situ diagnostic system that utilizes optical emission spectroscopy (OES) in conjunction with an array of fiber optic probes to measure the spatial distribution of plasmas during the fabrication of amorphous silicon (a-Si) PV modules. The uniformity of the plasma emission was influenced by structural changes in the plasma electrode assembly that can occur with heating and by variations in the substrate-electrode spacing that can occur with warped and misaligned substrates or electrodes. This diagnostic system has been used to improve our deposition reactor design and to optimize the deposition conditions for the fabrication of high performance thin-film tandem modules.
Keywords :
amorphous semiconductors; elemental semiconductors; plasma CVD; plasma diagnostics; semiconductor growth; semiconductor thin films; silicon; solar cells; Si; amorphous silicon; deposition conditions; large-area a-Si PV modules; optical emission spectroscopy; plasma emission diagnostics; Amorphous silicon; Electrodes; Optical arrays; Optical device fabrication; Optical fibers; Plasma diagnostics; Plasma measurements; Probes; Spectroscopy; Stimulated emission;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2002. Conference Record of the Twenty-Ninth IEEE
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-7471-1
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.2002.1190799
