Lenz Instruments develops a Demonstrator for the Inspection of Transparent Photovoltaic Devices
Within the framework of the FOTO-CER project, Lenz Instruments has developed, at a demonstrator prototype scale, an innovative inspection system for transparent photovoltaic devices. The system combines several advanced optical sensors, including a spectral reflectance module and a Raman probe, optimized for the inspection of transparent coatings. The spectral reflectance technique provides information related to the thickness of the coatings on the device. Complementarily, Raman spectroscopy offers more specific information regarding the crystalline structure of each layer. The integration of these sensors into automated translation systems, along with the development of autofocus routines, enables fully automated inspection of 30×30 cm² photovoltaic mini-modules.
With inspection times of just a few minutes, the demonstrator provides critical device quality parameters at various points across the panel. In this way, the system not only identifies manufacturing defects but also allows for the analysis of the device’s spatial uniformity, carrying out a detailed inspection of the transparent photovoltaic devices developed within the framework of the project.
Among the most relevant parameters, the demonstrator provides the degree of crystallinity of the semiconductor layer used to absorb solar radiation and identifies the presence of defects in the material. In addition, it automatically determines the thickness of this layer, as well as that of the encapsulating layers, which are essential to ensure the device’s durability.
The FOTO-CER project has received funding from the CDTI, which is supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation and with funding from the European Union -NextGenerationEU- through the guidelines included in the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
