Hot spots spontaneously emerging in thin film photovoltaics

Abstract: We present data exhibiting hot spots spontaneously emerging in forward biased thin film photovoltaics based on a-Si:H technology. These spots evolve over time shrinking in their diameter and increasing temperature up to approximately 300 $^o$C above that of the surrounding area. Our numerical approach explores a system of many identical diodes in parallel connected through the resistive electrode and through thermal connectors, a model which couples electric and thermal processes. The modeling results show that hot spots emerge collapsing from a rather large area of nonuniform temperature, then collapse to local entities. Finally, we present a simplified analytical treatment establishing relations between the hot spot parameters.