Mechanical Reliability of Photovoltaic Cells under Cyclic Thermal Loading

Metallic coatings placed on solar cell should retain their structural integrity over the life-span of the devices in order to ensure their reliable functioning. One critical component of such a life-assessment exercise is based on their response to the cyclic thermal stresses generated due to the temperature fluctuation, which is inevitable during regular operation of a solar cell and the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of metal coatings and Si. Here, we have studied the impact of accelerated thermal cycling on the integrity of the semiconductor-metal layer in a commercial monocrystalline Si based photovoltaic solar cell comprising Ag finger-lining and Al backside coating. We observed that, compared to Si-Ag interface, the Al-Si interface was significantly weaker, wherein cracks easily nucleated and grew during thermal cycling between - 40 degrees C and 90 degrees C. The experimental results were augmented with finite element method (FEM), including extended-FEM (XFEM), simulations using geometry based on the actual microstructure of various metal-Si interfaces in the solar cell module. FEM-based simulations suggest excessive stress concentration at the interface of Al-Si eutectic-Al layers due to the irregular wavy nature of this interface. XFEM results indicate the critical role of the interfacial adhesion strength and roughness of the eutectic-Al interface on the crack growth and its propagation path. Based on the obtained results, a discussion on the fabrication of solar cell modules resistant to thermal stress induced structural damage is presented.