Cracks in silicon photovoltaic modules: a review

Photovoltaic cells are considered as one of the most critical components in photovoltaic systems for they convert the sunlight photons into electricity. However defects on the surface of the photovoltaic cells have a detrimental effect on them. Thus, research focuses on one hand on the degradation caused by the cracks namely on their impacts on the efficiency of photovoltaic modules and on the other hand on the techniques which are used to spot them. The main objective of this review is to inquire on the impact of the microcracks on the electrical performance of silicon solar cells and to list the most used detection techniques of cracks.