TEST EQUIPMENT FOR AUTOMATED QUALITY CONTROL OF THIN FILM SOLAR MODULES

摘要

Provided is a method and test system for identifying a defective region of a photovoltaic cell from among a plurality of photovoltaic cells collectively forming a thin film solar module. A probe includes a plurality of test fingers arranged to be substantially simultaneously placed adjacent to an electric contact provided to different regions of one or more of the plurality of photovoltaic cells, and each of the test fingers is to receive an electrical output from the different regions of the one or more photovoltaic cells. A light source emits light to be converted by the photovoltaic cells into the electrical output during testing. A measurement circuit measures a property of the electrical output received from the different regions of the photovoltaic cells and transmits a measured value signal indicative of the property measured by the measurement circuit. And a control unit receives the measured value signal and generates a visible display indicating that at least one of the different regions of the solar module is a defective region based at least in part on the measured value signal, and also indicates a location of the defective region on the solar module.