ARE ELECTRO-LUMINESCENCE DEFECTS IN CONCENTRATOR III-V CELLS RESPONSIBLE TO THERMAL RUNAWAY AND SUDDEN DEATH?

Two types of failure of III-V cells in CPV system by Daido Steel have been observed. One is thermal runaway(1) and another is what we call a electrical shock. This paper will discuss on the frequency of the cell failure seen in a field and on experiments to determine the root cause of thermal runaway. Failures by the electrical shock were not related to thermal runaway, and a packaging solution to the failure by the electrical shock was found which will be published at another time. A detailed investigation of 30 kW field was undertaken to identify failed cells. After the other failure mechanism has been removed, experiments can be conducted on thermal runaway. Thermal runaway can occur due to loss of thermal conduction, such as voids or discontinuities in the thermal interchange material bonding cell to heat sink. It has been hypothesized that thermal runaway can also occur at location of cell defects as identified by electroluminescence. So far it we have not been able to induce thermal runaway at locations of electroluminescence defects.