Solar cell testing apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9863890-B2
Application number	US-201113157826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2011
Priority date	Jun 10, 2011
Publication date	Jan 9, 2018
Grant date	Jan 9, 2018

Abstract

A solar cell testing apparatus may include an illuminator for directing light energy on a solar cell under test. The solar cell testing apparatus may also include a device for selectively positioning different filters of a multiplicity of filters in an optical path between the illuminator and the solar cell under test to at least one of measure performance and detect any defects in the solar cell. The multiplicity of filters may include a first set of filters and a second set of filters. Each filter of the first set of filters is adapted for passing a predetermined percentage of intensity of the light energy from the illuminator onto the solar cell under test. The second set of filters being adapted for testing the solar cell under different spectrums of light.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar cell testing apparatus, comprising:
an illuminator for directing light energy on a solar cell under test; and
a device for selectively positioning different filters of a multiplicity of filters in an optical path between the illuminator and the solar cell under test to at least one of measure performance and detect any defects in the solar cell, the multiplicity of filters comprising a first set of filters, each filter of the first set of filters being adapted for passing a different predetermined percentage of intensity of the light energy from the illuminator onto the solar cell under test, and a second set of filters, each filter of the second set of filters being configured for testing the solar cell under a different spectrum of light, wherein the device for selectively positioning the different filters comprises:
a rotatable wheel, each of the multiplicity of filters being positioned circumferentially about a hub of the rotatable wheel for positioning each of the filters between the illuminator and the solar cell as the rotatable wheel is rotated about the hub; and
a motor including an encoder and a drive axle, the drive axle of the motor being directly connected to the hub of the rotatable wheel to rotate the rotatable wheel for positioning each of the filters sequentially between the illuminator and the solar cell.

2. The solar cell testing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the multiplicity of filters further comprises a light blocking filter to perform an electroluminescence test of the solar cell to detect light emission from the solar cell in response to an electric current of a predetermined amperage being applied to the solar cell.

3. The solar cell testing apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:
a current source to apply the electrical current to the solar cell when the light blocking filter is disposed between the illuminator and the solar cell;
a camera to capture an image of the solar cell in response to the electrical current being applied to the solar cell to detect light emission from the solar cell; and
a beam splitter to split the image of the solar cell into beams of different wavelengths of light energy corresponding to different layers of the solar cell, wherein the solar cell is a multiple junction solar cell.

4. The solar cell testing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first set of filters comprises:
a 100 percent filter to pass all of the light intensity from the illuminator to the solar cell;
a 66 percent filter to pass 66 percent of the light intensity from the illuminator to the solar cell;
a 33 percent filter to pass 33 percent of the light intensity from the illuminator to the solar cell; and
a 10 percent filter to pass 10 percent of the light intensity from the illuminator to the solar cell.

5. The solar cell testing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second set of filters comprises:
a red filter to pass a red starved spectrum of light from the illuminator onto the solar cell;
a blue filter to pass a blue starved spectrum of light from the illuminator onto the solar cell; and
an infrared filter to pass an infrared starved spectrum of light from the illuminator onto the solar cell.

6. The solar cell testing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a beam splitter for receiving the light energy from the illuminator filtered by one of the multiple filters currently in position between the illuminator and the solar cell;
an integrating sphere, wherein the beam splitter directs a portion of the light energy from the illuminator to the integrating sphere and directs another portion of the light energy to the solar cell; and
a spectrum analyzer coupled to the integrating sphere to analyze the portion of the light energy received.

7. The solar testing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light detector for measuring an intensity level of the light from the illuminator; and
a device for measuring a current versus voltage curve (I-V curve) of the solar cell under each filter.

8. The solar cell testing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device for selectively positioning different filters of the multiplicity of filters comprises a mechanism to position each of the multiplicity of filters between the illuminator and the solar cell for measuring the performance characteristics of the solar cell for each of the multiple filters.

9. The solar cell testing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a light shield to control transmission of light from the illuminator to the solar cell.

10. The solar cell testing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first mounting plate;
a second mounting plate, wherein the single rotatable wheel is disposed between the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate;
an aperture formed in each of the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate in alignment with a currently selected filter of the multiplicity of filters, the apertures permitting light from the illuminator to pass through the currently selected filter positioned in the optical path between the illuminator and the solar cell under test.

11. The solar cell testing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the motor is mounted to the first mounting plate, the drive axle of the motor extending through the first mounting plate and being directly connected to the hub of the rotatable wheel for positioning each of the filters of the multiplicity of filters in the optical path for testing the solar cell.

12. The solar cell testing apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising an apparatus for measuring characteristics of the light from each filter of the multiplicity of filters when positioned in the optical path for testing the solar cell, the apparatus for measuring characteristics of the light being mounted on a side of the second mounting plate opposite the rotatable wheel.

13. A solar cell testing apparatus, comprising:
an illuminator;
a device for selectively positioning different filters of a multiplicity of filters in an optical path between the illuminator and a solar cell under test, wherein the device for selectively positioning the different filters comprises;
a rotatable wheel, each of the multiplicity of filters being positioned circumferentially about a hub of the rotatable wheel for positioning each of the filters between the illuminator and the solar cell as the rotatable wheel is rotated about the hub, the multiplicity of filters comprising a first set of filters, each filter of the first set of being configured for passing a different predetermined percentage of intensity of the light energy from the illuminator onto the solar cell under test, and a second set of filters, each filter of the second set of filters being configured for testing the solar cell under a different spectrum of light; and
a motor including an encoder and a drive axle, the drive axle of the motor being directly connected to the hub of the rotatable wheel to rotate the rotatable wheel for positioning each of the filters sequentially between the illuminator and the solar cell; and

a beam splitter for directing a predetermined portion of the light from a selected filter of the multiplicity of filters onto the solar cell to at least one of measure performance and detect any defects in the solar cell, and for directing another predetermined portion of the light energy to an apparatus for measuring characteristics of the light from the selected filter of the multiplicity of filters positioned in the optical path between the illuminator and the solar cell.

14. The solar cell testing apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a device for at least one of measuring perfor

Assignees

• Jungwirth Douglas R
• Quezada Emilio
• Campbell Gregory A
• Ermer James H
• Jones Russell K
• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Jungwirth Douglas R
• Quezada Emilio
• Campbell Gregory A
• Ermer James H
• Jones Russell K

Classifications

• G01N21/9501 Primary

  Semiconductor wafers (manufacturing processes per se of semiconductor devices implementing a measuring step H10P74/20) · CPC title

• G01N21/66

  electrically excited, e.g. electroluminescence · CPC title

• H02S50/10

  Testing of PV devices, e.g. of PV modules or single PV cells (testing of semiconductor devices during manufacturing {H10P74/00}) · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• H02S50/15 Primary

  using optical means, e.g. using electroluminescence · CPC title