Author
Peter Hacke
Other affiliations: University of Chittagong, Applied Materials
Bio: Peter Hacke is an academic researcher from National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The author has contributed to research in topics: Potential induced degradation & Photovoltaic system. The author has an hindex of 29, co-authored 159 publications receiving 4561 citations. Previous affiliations of Peter Hacke include University of Chittagong & Applied Materials.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
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01 Jan 2014
TL;DR: The international Task 13 expert team has summarized the literature as well as their knowledge and personal experiences on actual failures of PV modules, and introduces a signal transition method for the detection of defective circuits in installed PV modules.
Abstract: One key factor of reducing the costs of photovoltaic systems is to increase the reliability and the service life time of the PV modules. Today's statistics show degradation rates of the rated power for crystalline silicon PV modules of 0.8%/year Jordan11. To increase the reliability and the service life of PV modules one has to understand the challenges involved. For this reason, the international Task 13 expert team has summarized the literature as well as their knowledge and personal experiences on actual failures of PV modules. The target audience of this work is PV module designers, PV industry, engineering lines, test equipment developers, testing companies, technological research laboratories, standardisation committees, as well as national and regional planning authorities. In the first part, this document reports on the measurement methods which allow the identification and analysis of PV module failures. Currently, a great number of methods are available to characterise PV module failures outdoors and in labs. As well as using I-V characteristics as a diagnostic tool, we explain image based methods and visual inspection. For each method we explain the basis, indicate current best practice, and explain how to interpret the images. Three thermography methods are explained: thermography under steady state conditions, pulse thermography and lock-in thermography. The most commonly used of these methods is thermography under steady state conditions. Furthermore electroluminescence methods have become an increasingly popular standard lab approach for detecting failures in PV modules. 2A less common but easier to use method is UV fluorescence. This method can be used to detect module failures similar to those detected with thermography and electroluminescence techniques; however, the PV modules must be sited outdoors for at least one and a half years for the method to be effective. For visual documentation of module conditions in the field, we set up a standard which is now accepted and used by all authors documenting such tests. This standard format allows the documentation of visible module failures in standardised way and makes the data accessible for statistical evaluation. Furthermore we introduce a signal transition method for the detection of defective circuits in installed PV modules. All methods are linked to the PV module failures which are able to be found with these methods. In the second part, the most common failures of PV modules are described in detail. In particular these failures are: delamination, back sheet adhesion loss, junction box failure, frame breakage, EVA discolouration, cell cracks, snail tracks, burn marks, potential induced degradation, disconnected cell and string interconnect ribbons, defective bypass diodes; and special failures of thin-film modules, such as micro arcs at glued connectors, shunt hot spots, front glass breakage, and back contact degradation. Where possible, the origin of the failure is explained. A reference to the characterisation method is given to identify the failure. If available, statistics of the failure type in the field and from accelerating aging tests are shown. For each failure, a description of safety issues and the influence on the power loss is given, including typical follow-up failure modes. In the third part, new test methods are proposed for detection of PV module failures in the field. A special focus is made on mechanical tests because many problems have arisen in the last few years from the mechanical loading of modules. These mechanical loads occur during transportation and from snow loads on modules mounted on an incline. Furthermore, testing for UV degradation of PV modules, ammonia corrosion (sometimes found in roofs of stock breeding buildings) and potential induced degradation are described. The latter method caused some controversy within the international standardization committee until the finalization of this report because many alternative suggestions from different countries were proposed. The test methods are explained in detail, linked to failure descriptions and the results are compared to real failure occurrences, where possible. During a past Task 13 project phase, we recognised that the topic �3.2 Characterising and Classifying Failures of PV Modules� is an important on-going subject in the field of PV research. The current review of failure mechanisms shows that the origin and the power loss associated with some important PV module failures is not yet clear (e.g. snail tracks and cell cracks). There are also still some questions as to how best to test for some types of failure (e.g. potential induced degradation and cell cracks). Furthermore, despite the fact that a defective bypass diode or cell interconnect ribbon in a PV module may possibly lead to a fire, very little work has been done to detect these defects in an easy and reliable way once installed in a PV system. However, there are research groups currently working on those topics in order to overcome these challenges. Therefore, it is planed to continue our in-depth review of failures of photovoltaic modules in an extension of the TASK 13 project.
328 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, a detailed analysis of manufacturing costs for each step within the wafer-based monocrystalline silicon (c-Si) PV module supply chain is presented.
321 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, a critical review of the available literature is given to serve as a one-stop source for understanding the current status of potential-induced degradation (PID) research.
Abstract: Potential-induced degradation (PID) has received considerable attention in recent years due to its detrimental impact on photovoltaic (PV) module performance under field conditions. Both crystalline silicon (c-Si) and thin-film PV modules are susceptible to PID. While extensive studies have already been conducted in this area, the understanding of the PID phenomena is still incomplete and it remains a major problem in the PV industry. Herein, a critical review of the available literature is given to serve as a one-stop source for understanding the current status of PID research. This paper also aims to provide an overview of future research paths to address PID-related issues. This paper consists of three parts. In the first part, the modelling of leakage current paths in the module package is discussed. The PID mechanisms in both c-Si and thin-film PV modules are also comprehensively reviewed. The second part summarizes various test methods to evaluate PV modules for PID. The last part focuses on studies related to PID in the omnipresent p-type c-Si PV modules. The dependence of temperature, humidity and voltage on the progression of PID is examined. Preventive measures against PID at the cell, module and system levels are illustrated. Moreover, PID recovery in standard p-type c-Si PV modules is also studied. Most of the findings from p-type c-Si PV modules are also applicable to other PV module technologies.
288 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, a Schottky barrier on unintentionally doped n-type GaN grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy was obtained and characterized using vacuum evaporated gold as the barrier contact and aluminum for the ohmic contact.
Abstract: A Schottky barrier on unintentionally doped n‐type GaN grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy was obtained and characterized. Using vacuum evaporated gold as the Schottky barrier contact and aluminum for the ohmic contact, good quality diodes were obtained. The forward current ideality factor was n∼1.03 and the reverse bias leak current below 1×10−10 A at a reverse bias of −10 V. The barrier height φBn was determined to be 0.844 and 0.94 eV by current‐voltage and capacitance measurements, respectively.
273 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used transient capacitance methods to analyze traps occurring in unintentionally doped n-type GaN grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy, and found that the capture process is nonexponential, perhaps due to the high trap concentration.
Abstract: Transient capacitance methods were used to analyze traps occurring in unintentionally doped n‐type GaN grown by hydride vapor‐phase epitaxy. Studies by deep‐level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and isothermal capacitance transient spectroscopy indicated the presence of three majority‐carrier traps occurring at discrete energies below the conduction band with activation energies (eV) ΔE1=0.264±0.01, ΔE2=0.580±0.017, and ΔE3=0.665±0.017. The single‐crystal films of GaN were grown on GaN formed by metal‐organic chemical‐vapor deposition and on sputter‐deposited ZnO; a similar deep‐level structure was found in both types of samples. Pulse‐width modulation tests using DLTS to determine the capture rates of the traps showed that the capture process is nonexponential, perhaps due to the high trap concentration. The origins of the deep levels are discussed in light of secondary‐ion‐mass‐spectroscopy analysis and group theory results in the literature.
262 citations
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TL;DR: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one, which seems an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality.
Abstract: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality.
Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …
33,785 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the structural and point defects caused by lattice and stacking mismatch with substrates are discussed. But even the best of the three binaries, InN, AIN and AIN as well as their ternary compounds, contain many structural defects, and these defects notably affect the electrical and optical properties of the host material.
Abstract: Gallium nitride (GaN) and its allied binaries InN and AIN as well as their ternary compounds have gained an unprecedented attention due to their wide-ranging applications encompassing green, blue, violet, and ultraviolet (UV) emitters and detectors (in photon ranges inaccessible by other semiconductors) and high-power amplifiers. However, even the best of the three binaries, GaN, contains many structural and point defects caused to a large extent by lattice and stacking mismatch with substrates. These defects notably affect the electrical and optical properties of the host material and can seriously degrade the performance and reliability of devices made based on these nitride semiconductors. Even though GaN broke the long-standing paradigm that high density of dislocations precludes acceptable device performance, point defects have taken the center stage as they exacerbate efforts to increase the efficiency of emitters, increase laser operation lifetime, and lead to anomalies in electronic devices. The p...
1,724 citations
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TL;DR: The role of extended and point defects, and key impurities such as C, O, and H, on the electrical and optical properties of GaN is reviewed in this article, along with the influence of process-induced or grown-in defects and impurities on the device physics.
Abstract: The role of extended and point defects, and key impurities such as C, O, and H, on the electrical and optical properties of GaN is reviewed. Recent progress in the development of high reliability contacts, thermal processing, dry and wet etching techniques, implantation doping and isolation, and gate insulator technology is detailed. Finally, the performance of GaN-based electronic and photonic devices such as field effect transistors, UV detectors, laser diodes, and light-emitting diodes is covered, along with the influence of process-induced or grown-in defects and impurities on the device physics.
1,693 citations
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TL;DR: Lewis reviews the status of solar thermal and solar fuels approaches for harnessing solar energy, as well as technology gaps for achieving cost-effective scalable deployment combined with storage technologies to provide reliable, dispatchable energy.
Abstract: Major developments, as well as remaining challenges and the associated research opportunities, are evaluated for three technologically distinct approaches to solar energy utilization: solar electricity, solar thermal, and solar fuels technologies. Much progress has been made, but research opportunities are still present for all approaches. Both evolutionary and revolutionary technology development, involving foundational research, applied research, learning by doing, demonstration projects, and deployment at scale will be needed to continue this technology-innovation ecosystem. Most of the approaches still offer the potential to provide much higher efficiencies, much lower costs, improved scalability, and new functionality, relative to the embodiments of solar energy-conversion systems that have been developed to date.
1,416 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the chemical and thermal stability of epitaxial nitride films is discussed in relation to the problems of deposition processes and the advantages for applications in high-power and high-temperature devices.
Abstract: Recent research results pertaining to InN, GaN and AlN are reviewed, focusing on the different growth techniques of Group III-nitride crystals and epitaxial films, heterostructures and devices. The chemical and thermal stability of epitaxial nitride films is discussed in relation to the problems of deposition processes and the advantages for applications in high-power and high-temperature devices. The development of growth methods like metalorganic chemical vapour deposition and plasma-induced molecular beam epitaxy has resulted in remarkable improvements in the structural, optical and electrical properties. New developments in precursor chemistry, plasma-based nitrogen sources, substrates, the growth of nucleation layers and selective growth are covered. Deposition conditions and methods used to grow alloys for optical bandgap and lattice engineering are introduced. The review is concluded with a description of recent Group III-nitride semiconductor devices such as bright blue and white light-emitting diodes, the first blue-emitting laser, high-power transistors, and a discussion of further applications in surface acoustic wave devices and sensors.
1,386 citations