Andor Technology plc (Andor Technology), a provider of imaging and spectroscopy solutions, has entered into the solar research and production inline cell inspection market by launching its high-performance cameras the iKon-M 934 BR-DD and the LucaEM R at the fourth Photovoltaic Technology Show Europe 2009 in Munich. Andor Technology said that it will help researchers and industrial partners to detect such costly faults far more simply, in using the iKon-M 934 BR-DD and the LucaEM R.
Common faults in solar cells and panels are a known fact in the industry, and so far technology answers have been unsatisfactory.
The LucaEM R is a highly cost-effective yet fast and powerful Electron Multiplying CCD (EMCCD) camera for high throughput in-line production inspection. LucaEM R uses a very low noise megapixel frame-transfer EMCCD sensor, providing single photon detection sensitivity and high NIR quantum efficiency (27% QE @ 900 nm) in an air cooled, compact, USB 2.0 camera platform.
This camera also offer exceptionally high sensitivity at rapid frame rates, meaning that they can be used for high-throughput testing of individual photovoltaic cells running 24/7 at 1 cell/sec and faster.
The iKon-M 934 BR-DD is designed to offer ultimate responsivity in the NIR region, delivering ~70% QE at 900nm. The megapixel CCD camera also benefits from deep TE cooling to -100ºC, very low read noise and a convenient USB 2.0 interface, making it the perfect tool for luminescence imaging research of PV cells.
By incorporating photovoltaic electroluminescence into their QC routines and R&D work, manufacturers can benefit from a simpler, potentially less expensive inspection technique. However, as photovoltaic electroluminescence emissions are very weak, extremely sensitive cameras are required, such as the iKon-M BR-DD and the LucaEM R.