Electrical detection of gap formation underneath finger electrodes on c-Si PV cells exposed to acetic acid vapor under hygrothermal conditions

For the current collection failure induced by the acidic corrosion in finger electrodes on photovoltaic (PV) cells, the formation and evolution of gaps underneath the electrodes were able to be found by the monitoring of AC impedance signals and I-V characteristics of PV cells. The similar degradation behavior was also observed in PV modules under damp heat test. Then, the degradation mechanisms of crystalline silicon PV module under hygrothermal conditions are discussed, to contribute the lifetime prediction of PV modules installed in fields.