abstract: Solar photovoltaic (PV) industry is tipped to be one of the front-runners in the renewable industry. Typically, PV module manufacturers provide a linear or step warranty of 80% of original power over 25 years. This power loss during the field exposure is primarily attributed to the development of performance affecting defects in the PV modules. As many as 86 different defects can occur in a PV module. One of the major defects that can cause significant power loss is the interconnect metallization system (IMS) degradation which is the focus of this thesis. The IMS is composed of cell-interconnect (cell-ribbon interconnect) and string-interconnect (ribbon-ribbon interconnect). The cell interconnect is in turn composed of silver metallization (fingers and busbars) and solder bonds between silver busbar and copper ribbon. Weak solder bonding between copper ribbon and busbar of a cell results in increase of series resistance that in turn affects the fill factor causing a power drop. In this thesis work, the results obtained from various non-destructive and destructive experiments performed on modules exposed in three different climates (Arizona - Hot and Dry, Mexico - Warm and Humid, and California - Temperate) are presented. These experiments include light I-V measurements, dark I-V measurements, infrared imaging, extraction of test samples from the modules, peel strength measurements and four-point resistance measurements. The extraction of test samples was performed using a mechanical method and a chemical method. The merits and demerits of these two methods are presented. A drop of 10.33% in fill factor was observed for a 0.05Ω increase in the series resistance of the modules investigated in this work. Different combinations in a cell that can cause series resistance increase were considered and their effect on fill factor were observed using four-point probe experiments. Peel test experiments were conducted to correlate the effect of series resistance on the ribbon peel strength. Finally, climate specific thermal modelling was performed for 4 different sites over 20 years in order to calculate the accumulated thermal fatigue and also to evaluate its correlation, if any, with the increase of series resistance. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Mechanical Engineering 2016

No description available.

A miniaturization technique that allows the size of microstrip square open loop resonators to be reduced by more than 80% is presented and studied. The technique is based on the loading of the resonator with a series surface mount capacitor. It is shown that this technique allows the design of microwave bandpass filters with a wider stopband when compared with conventional designs. It is also proved that the insertion loss of the miniaturized filter is not degraded, but in fact can be maintained or even enhanced by the miniaturization process; this is true whenever the quality factor of the lumped capacitor is higher than the quality factor of the microstrip resonator. Finally, the feasibility of using the effect of the capacitor loss in the miniaturized resonator quality factor as a method to measure the effective series resistance of surface mount capacitors is studied, and recommendations towards its implementation are presented.

Este trabalho apresenta o estudo do comportamento da resistência série de fonte e dreno em transistores SOI FinFET de porta tripla e com canal tensionado. Nos dispositivos SOI FinFETs há um aumento da resistência série de fonte e dreno devido ao estreitamento dessas regiões, sendo esse parâmetro considerado como uma das limitações quanto à introdução desses dispositivos em tecnologias futuras. O uso de tensão mecânica no canal dos dispositivos surge como alternativa para aumentar a condução de corrente através do aumento da mobilidade dos portadores do canal, reduzindo assim, a resistência total dos transistores e, conseqüentemente, a resistência série de fonte e dreno. Inicialmente, foi feito o estudo de alguns métodos de extração da resistência série de fonte e dreno existentes na literatura, com o objetivo de se obter o mais adequado para aplicação e análise posterior. Esse trabalho foi realizado baseado em resultados experimentais e em simulações numéricas que possibilitaram o entendimento físico do fenômeno estudado. A resistência série de fonte e dreno foi explorada em diferentes tecnologias, como transistores SOI FinFETs de porta tripla convencionais e sob influência de tensionamento uniaxial e biaxial. O uso do crescimento seletivo epitaxial (SEG) nas regiões de fonte e dreno altamente dopadas das diferentes tecnologias também foi analisado, pois com essa técnica, a resistência série de fonte e dreno é reduzida substancialmente não comprometendo a condução de corrente e a transcondutância. Os resultados obtidos das diferentes tecnologias com e sem o uso de SEG foram analisados e comparados mostrando que em transistores SOI FinFETs de porta tripla, com crescimento seletivo epitaxial, apresentam o menor valor da resistência série de fonte e dreno mesmo para aqueles sem tensão mecânica na região do canal. / This work presents the study of the source and drain series resistance behavior in standard and strained SOI FinFETs triple gate transistors. In SOI FinFETs transistors there is an increase of the source and drain series resistance due to the narrow of these regions, being this parameter a key limiting factor to the next generations. The use of strained transistors is one of the potential technologies to the next generation high performance because it increase the drive current through an enhance in the carrier mobility, decreasing the transistors total resistance and, therefore, the source and drain series resistance. Initially, a study of some series resistance extraction methods, present in the literature was done, in order to obtain the most appropriate for applications and analysis subsequent. This work was done based on experimental results and numerical simulations, enabling the physical understanding of the phenomenon studied. The series resistance was explored in different technologies, as standard SOI FinFETs triple gates and with uniaxial and biaxial strain. The use of selective epitaxial growth (SEG) in the source and drain regions, with high doping levels, was also studied in the different technologies, because with the use of this technique, the series resistance decreases substantially without compromising the drive current and transconductance. The obtained results from the different technologies with and without the use of SEG were analyzed and compared showing that, SOI FinFETs triple gate transistors with SEG present the lower values of series resistance even for standard devices if compared with strained ones without the use of SEG.

Este trabalho apresenta o estudo do comportamento da resistência série de fonte e dreno em transistores SOI FinFET de porta tripla e com canal tensionado. Nos dispositivos SOI FinFETs há um aumento da resistência série de fonte e dreno devido ao estreitamento dessas regiões, sendo esse parâmetro considerado como uma das limitações quanto à introdução desses dispositivos em tecnologias futuras. O uso de tensão mecânica no canal dos dispositivos surge como alternativa para aumentar a condução de corrente através do aumento da mobilidade dos portadores do canal, reduzindo assim, a resistência total dos transistores e, conseqüentemente, a resistência série de fonte e dreno. Inicialmente, foi feito o estudo de alguns métodos de extração da resistência série de fonte e dreno existentes na literatura, com o objetivo de se obter o mais adequado para aplicação e análise posterior. Esse trabalho foi realizado baseado em resultados experimentais e em simulações numéricas que possibilitaram o entendimento físico do fenômeno estudado. A resistência série de fonte e dreno foi explorada em diferentes tecnologias, como transistores SOI FinFETs de porta tripla convencionais e sob influência de tensionamento uniaxial e biaxial. O uso do crescimento seletivo epitaxial (SEG) nas regiões de fonte e dreno altamente dopadas das diferentes tecnologias também foi analisado, pois com essa técnica, a resistência série de fonte e dreno é reduzida substancialmente não comprometendo a condução de corrente e a transcondutância. Os resultados obtidos das diferentes tecnologias com e sem o uso de SEG foram analisados e comparados mostrando que em transistores SOI FinFETs de porta tripla, com crescimento seletivo epitaxial, apresentam o menor valor da resistência série de fonte e dreno mesmo para aqueles sem tensão mecânica na região do canal. / This work presents the study of the source and drain series resistance behavior in standard and strained SOI FinFETs triple gate transistors. In SOI FinFETs transistors there is an increase of the source and drain series resistance due to the narrow of these regions, being this parameter a key limiting factor to the next generations. The use of strained transistors is one of the potential technologies to the next generation high performance because it increase the drive current through an enhance in the carrier mobility, decreasing the transistors total resistance and, therefore, the source and drain series resistance. Initially, a study of some series resistance extraction methods, present in the literature was done, in order to obtain the most appropriate for applications and analysis subsequent. This work was done based on experimental results and numerical simulations, enabling the physical understanding of the phenomenon studied. The series resistance was explored in different technologies, as standard SOI FinFETs triple gates and with uniaxial and biaxial strain. The use of selective epitaxial growth (SEG) in the source and drain regions, with high doping levels, was also studied in the different technologies, because with the use of this technique, the series resistance decreases substantially without compromising the drive current and transconductance. The obtained results from the different technologies with and without the use of SEG were analyzed and compared showing that, SOI FinFETs triple gate transistors with SEG present the lower values of series resistance even for standard devices if compared with strained ones without the use of SEG.

Esta dissertação tem por objetivo reportar dados relativos às características elétricas e microestruturais de eletrodos aplicadas em dispositivos armazenadores de energia, especificamente supercapacitores constituídos por eletrodos de carvão ativado. Os parâmetros elétricos estudados foram a resistência em série equivalente obtida pelo método da interrupção de corrente (ESR(Inst)) (sendo que a sigla ESR é oriunda do termo inglês Equivalent Series Resistance), a resistência em paralelo equivalente (EPR(Dep)) obtida pelo método do valor dependente (sendo que a sigla EPR é oriunda do termo inglês Equivalent Parallel Resistance) e a capacitância (C(DC)) obtida pelo método da corrente contínua (sendo que a sigla DC oriunda do termo inglês Direct Current). Tais parâmetros foram escolhidos devido ao impacto que causam no tempo de vida útil, na capacidade de armazenamento de cargas elétricas, na velocidade de carga e descarga, na perda por efeito termoiônico nos processos de carga e descarga e na perda de cargas armazenadas devido à autodescarga em supercapacitores. Os dados microestruturais reportam por meio de imagens a homogeneidade da porosidade e por meio de valores correlacionados a composição química e eventuais contaminações presentes nos eletrodos. Os dados e valores coletados possuem a intenção de servir como referência comparativa de qualidade e apontar qual parâmetro afeta mais a qualidade do supercapacitor. Para tanto foram realizados testes a fim de coletar valores de C(DC), ESR(Inst) e EPR(Dep) após a exposição de supercapacitores de 1F/5,5V a temperaturas de 50ºC, 75ºC, 100ºC e 125ºC por 672 horas, sendo os dados coletados ao inicio dos testes, à temperatura ambiente, e posteriormente a cada 168 horas. Feitos os experimentos concluiu-se que o parâmetro que sofreu maior deterioração com o acréscimo de energia térmica foi a EPR(Dep), em seguida a C(DC), que de fato pouco sofreu alteração e a ESR(Inst), em que a mudança dentro do erro de medição foi imperceptível. / This paper aims to report information on electrical and microstructural characteristics of electrodes applied at devices that store energy, specifically supercapacitors made of activated carbon electrodes. The studied electrical parameters were the equivalent series resistance obtained by the method of the instantaneous value of the voltage drop (ESR(Inst)), where the acronym ESR has the meaning Equivalent Series Resistance, the equivalent parallel resistance (EPR(Dep)) obtained by the method of dependent value, where the acronym EPR has the meaning Equivalent Parallel Resistance, and the capacitance (C(DC)) obtained by the method of direct current. These parameters were chosen because of the impact they have on lifetime, the storage capacity of electric charge, the speed of loading and unloading, the loss thermionic effect on the charge and discharge processes and loss of stored charge due to self-discharge in supercapacitors. The data given by microstructural images of the homogeneity and porosity values correlated by the chemical composition and possible contaminations present in the electrodes. The collected data and values are intended to serve as a comparative reference point and quality parameter which most affects the quality of the supercapacitor. For both tests were carried out in order to collect values of C(DC), ESR(Inst) and EPR(Dep) after supercapacitors of the 1F/5.5V are exposure at temperatures of 50, 75, 100 and 125°C for 672 hours, and the data collected at the beginning of the tests (room temperature) and subsequently every 168 hours. Made experiments it was concluded that the parameter further deterioration suffered with the increase of thermal energy is EPR(Dep), then C(DC), which in fact little changed and ESR(Inst), in which the change in the measurement error was are noticeable.

Esta dissertação tem por objetivo reportar dados relativos às características elétricas e microestruturais de eletrodos aplicadas em dispositivos armazenadores de energia, especificamente supercapacitores constituídos por eletrodos de carvão ativado. Os parâmetros elétricos estudados foram a resistência em série equivalente obtida pelo método da interrupção de corrente (ESR(Inst)) (sendo que a sigla ESR é oriunda do termo inglês Equivalent Series Resistance), a resistência em paralelo equivalente (EPR(Dep)) obtida pelo método do valor dependente (sendo que a sigla EPR é oriunda do termo inglês Equivalent Parallel Resistance) e a capacitância (C(DC)) obtida pelo método da corrente contínua (sendo que a sigla DC oriunda do termo inglês Direct Current). Tais parâmetros foram escolhidos devido ao impacto que causam no tempo de vida útil, na capacidade de armazenamento de cargas elétricas, na velocidade de carga e descarga, na perda por efeito termoiônico nos processos de carga e descarga e na perda de cargas armazenadas devido à autodescarga em supercapacitores. Os dados microestruturais reportam por meio de imagens a homogeneidade da porosidade e por meio de valores correlacionados a composição química e eventuais contaminações presentes nos eletrodos. Os dados e valores coletados possuem a intenção de servir como referência comparativa de qualidade e apontar qual parâmetro afeta mais a qualidade do supercapacitor. Para tanto foram realizados testes a fim de coletar valores de C(DC), ESR(Inst) e EPR(Dep) após a exposição de supercapacitores de 1F/5,5V a temperaturas de 50ºC, 75ºC, 100ºC e 125ºC por 672 horas, sendo os dados coletados ao inicio dos testes, à temperatura ambiente, e posteriormente a cada 168 horas. Feitos os experimentos concluiu-se que o parâmetro que sofreu maior deterioração com o acréscimo de energia térmica foi a EPR(Dep), em seguida a C(DC), que de fato pouco sofreu alteração e a ESR(Inst), em que a mudança dentro do erro de medição foi imperceptível. / This paper aims to report information on electrical and microstructural characteristics of electrodes applied at devices that store energy, specifically supercapacitors made of activated carbon electrodes. The studied electrical parameters were the equivalent series resistance obtained by the method of the instantaneous value of the voltage drop (ESR(Inst)), where the acronym ESR has the meaning Equivalent Series Resistance, the equivalent parallel resistance (EPR(Dep)) obtained by the method of dependent value, where the acronym EPR has the meaning Equivalent Parallel Resistance, and the capacitance (C(DC)) obtained by the method of direct current. These parameters were chosen because of the impact they have on lifetime, the storage capacity of electric charge, the speed of loading and unloading, the loss thermionic effect on the charge and discharge processes and loss of stored charge due to self-discharge in supercapacitors. The data given by microstructural images of the homogeneity and porosity values correlated by the chemical composition and possible contaminations present in the electrodes. The collected data and values are intended to serve as a comparative reference point and quality parameter which most affects the quality of the supercapacitor. For both tests were carried out in order to collect values of C(DC), ESR(Inst) and EPR(Dep) after supercapacitors of the 1F/5.5V are exposure at temperatures of 50, 75, 100 and 125°C for 672 hours, and the data collected at the beginning of the tests (room temperature) and subsequently every 168 hours. Made experiments it was concluded that the parameter further deterioration suffered with the increase of thermal energy is EPR(Dep), then C(DC), which in fact little changed and ESR(Inst), in which the change in the measurement error was are noticeable.

After nearly a decade of development, human-implantable sensors for detection of muscle activity have recently been demonstrated in the literature. The implantable sensors are powered and communicate wirelessly through the skin using coupled inductor coils. The focus of the present work has been the development of a new approach to modeling the inductively coupled link by using the finite element method (FEM) to simulate a three-dimensional representation of the coils and surrounding magnetic field. The validity of the simulation is tested by comparison to analytically-developed formulas for self-inductance, ac resistance and mutual inductance of the coils. Determination of these parameters is necessary for calculation of the coupling coefficient between the coils, and to fully define the lumped circuit model of the link. This 3D FEM approach is novel and attractive because it is able to encompass physical geometric parameters and material properties that have been traditionally been a challenge to determine. In particular the contribution of a ferrite-core, and the case of non-symmetrical relative coil positioning can be evaluated. / Graduate

Dans les applications de puissance, les systèmes de stockage d'énergie électrique tels que les supercondensateurs sont fortement sollicités. Compte tenu des limitations existantes lors de l'utilisation d'un seul composant, un système de stockage d'énergie électrique (module) est constitué d'une association d'éléments (cellules) permettant de s'adapter aux besoins de l'application visée. Afin d'assurer la sécurité de l'équipement et de son utilisateur, un système de gestion d'énergie, qui a pour rôle de surveiller et de contrôler continuellement les cellules, est associé au module de stockage. Le but des travaux de thèse est l'amélioration de la durée de vie des systèmes de stockage d'énergie. Cet objectif est réalisé grâce au contrôle des circuits d'équilibrage, éléments du système de gestion d'énergie, et déjà présents sur ces modules de stockage. Différentes méthodes de contrôle sont donc présentées, analysées et comparées afin d'évaluer l'état de santé des supercondensateurs surveillés. Une nouvelle approche d'équilibrage se basant sur le niveau de dégradation estimée est exposée. Elle permet d'équilibrer les vitesses de vieillissement des cellules et ainsi de prolonger la durée de vie de l'ensemble du système. Certains principes des résultats obtenus sont transposables aux batteries / Energy storage system such as supercapacitors are widely used in high power applications. However, due to single cell voltage limitation, an energy storage system (module) is often employed. It contains a chain structure of identical elements and ensures voltage adaptation to the corresponding application requirements. Energy management systems are associated to energy storage systems in order to assure user and equipment security. Their main role is to monitor and control energy storage systems elements continuously. The work presented aims to enhance the lifetime of energy storage systems. It relies on establishing balancing circuits on the terminals of the storage system elements. These control circuits are energy management system devices. Thus, various control approaches are discussed, analyzed and compared. They aim to estimate the supercapacitor's state of health. In addition, a new approach of balancing circuits is proposed. It is based on estimating the level of degradation of the elements. Thus, It allows aging speed equalization between module elements and storage system lifetime maximization. Some main results of the work could be generalized to batteries

abstract: Global photovoltaic (PV) module installation in 2018 is estimated to exceed 100 GW, and crystalline Si (c-Si) solar cell-based modules have a share more than 90% of the global PV market. To reduce the social cost of PV electricity, further developments in reliability of solar panels are expected. These will lead to realize longer module lifetime and reduced levelized cost of energy. As many as 86 failure modes are observed in PV modules [1] and series resistance increase is one of the major durability issues of all. Series resistance constitutes emitter sheet resistance, metal-semiconductor contact resistance, and resistance across the metal-solder ribbon. Solder bond degradation at the cell interconnect is one of the primary causes for increase in series resistance, which is also considered to be an invisible defect [1]. Combination of intermetallic compounds (IMC) formation during soldering and their growth due to solid state diffusion over its lifetime result in formation of weak interfaces between the solar cell and the interconnect. Thermal cycling under regular operating conditions induce thermo-mechanical fatigue over these weak interfaces resulting in contact reduction or loss. Contact reduction or loss leads to increase in series resistance which further manifests into power and fill factor loss. The degree of intermixing of metallic interfaces and contact loss depends on climatic conditions as temperature and humidity (moisture ingression into the PV module laminate) play a vital role in reaction kinetics of these layers. Modules from Arizona and Florida served as a good sample set to analyze the effects of hot and humid climatic conditions respectively. The results obtained in the current thesis quantifies the thickness of IMC formation from SEM-EDS profiles, where similar modules obtained from different climatic conditions were compared. The results indicate the thickness of the IMC and detachment degree to be growing with age and operating temperatures of the module. This can be seen in CuxSny IMC which is thicker in the case of Arizona module. The results obtained from FL ii aged modules also show that humidity accelerates the formation of IMC as they showed thicker AgxSny layer and weak interconnect-contact interfaces as compared to Arizona modules. It is also shown that climatic conditions have different effects on rate at which CuxSny and AgxSny intermetallic compounds are formed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Materials Science and Engineering 2018