Photovoltaics Characterization and Metrology System

Discipline: MSE

Advisor: Kristopher Davis

Our project seeks to address issues present in traditional photovoltaic (PV) cell characterization systems. Namely, the lack of compatibility between different characterization systems, the lack of customization afforded to system end-users, and the high price points of existing systems. By addressing these issues, we hope to provide an open-sourced and highly configurable system that benefits researchers and industry groups within the PV cell field. By combining multiple common testing systems into one device, we can calculate several key metrics and rapidly report them to the end user at a low price point and without the need for manual congregation and transformation of testing data from across multiple systems. High user control over test customization may also enable the application of modern-emerging PV characterization methods. For example, illuminated transfer length method (TLM) measurements, which require solar simulator illumination during conventional TLM measurement, provide insight into carrier-specific resistive forces within a PV cell but are not easily obtained on existing industry standard systems.

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