Current Photovoltaic Research ISSN:2288-3274(Print) 2508-125X(Online)

In recent years, discoloration defects, called as snail trail, have been observed at many crystalline photovoltaic modules after a period of time ranging from several months to several years after initial installation. It has been reported that this phenomenon doesn't impact on the performance of photovoltaic modules, but it can be detected through simple visual inspection. The origin and detailed mechanism for the formation have not been identified. In this study, non-destructive analysis by Raman spectroscopy has been carried out to investigate the origin of this phenomenon. In parallel, destructive analysis by scanning electron microscopt and transmission electron microscopy was also performed in order to confirm the results from non-destructive method. Through the extensive analysis, it was found that the main cause for discoloration is the formations of Ag₂CO₃ and AgC₂H₃O₂. Detailed mechanism for the formation of these particles was indentified through systematic studies.