We report on progress regarding a new and very effective approach for in-line surface passivationinspection with PL imaging based on our recently introduced single PL image concept. The details of this novel inlinePL technique are introduced and it’s applicability as a process inspection tool in fabrication of advanced solarcells is demonstrated. Methodology examples are provided using heterojunction structures, especially promising forhigh-efficiency cells. It is shown that beyond the observation that the raw PL images themselves are suitable for highresolution visualization of passivation defects using direct parameter calibration by QSS-μPCD technique, the PLimages can be converted to emitter saturation current (J0e) and implied Voc images. Accuracy of our in-line PLimaging technique is investigated by comparing raw PL counts images to the conventional and widely used 2Dcamera based stationary PL imaging techniques, and comparing calculated in-line PL based J0e and implied Vocimages to the J0e and implied Voc images determined by the quasi-steady-state light biased differential lifetime basedQSS-μPCD technique. Both comparative tests show excellent agreement among the applied techniques confirmingnot only the practical advantages but also the accuracy of the in-line PL imaging technique.
