A 800 kW I-V curve

This paper presents the measurement of the I-V curve of an 800 kW PV generator by means of an own-made capacitive load. Along the lines of some previous works, it is shown that an I-V curve analysis can also be applied to big PV generators and that, when measuring the operating conditions with reference modules and taking some precautions (especially regarding the operating cell temperature), it is still a useful tool for characterizing them and therefore can be incorporated into maintenance procedures. As far as we know, this is the largest I-V curve measured so far.

Lifetime improvement after phosphorous diffusion gettering on upgraded metallurgical grade silicon

Wide experimental evidence of the phosphorus diffusion gettering beneficial effect on solar grade silicon is found by measuring electron effective lifetime and interstitial iron concentration in as-grown and post processed samples from two ingots of upgraded metallurgical grade silicon produced by Ferrosolar. Results after two different P-diffusion processes are compared: P emitter diffusion at 850ºC followed by fast cool-down (called “standard process”) or followed by slow cool-down (called “extended process”). It is shown that final lifetimes of this low cost material are in the range of those obtained with conventional material. The extended process can be beneficial for wafers with specific initial distribution and concentration of iron, e.g. materials with high concentration of big Fe precipitates, while for other cases the standard process is enough efficient. An analysis based on the comparison of measured lifetime and dissolved iron concentration with theoretical calculations helps to infer the initial iron distribution and concentration, and according to that, choose the more effective type of gettering.