PCO AG was founded in 1987 with the objective of developing and producing specialised fast and sensitive video camera systems, mainly for scientific applications. Nowadays the product range of PCO cameras covers digital camera systems with high dynamic range, high resolution, high speed and low noise, which are sold in the scientific and industrial market all over the world. PES spoke to Dr Gerhard Holst, Head of Science and Research at
the company…
PES: Welcome to PES, can you explain a little about your company and how you serve the solar industry?
Dr Gerhard Holst: PCO AG develops and manufactures scientific-grade CCD and sCMOS cameras optimised for Electroluminescence (EL) or Photoluminescence (PL) measurements on solar cells and panels. EL and PL radiation is typically a weak emission with its maximum around 1,100 nm in the near infrared (NIR) region of the radiation spectrum. To detect this NIR radiation, one either uses exotic cameras with special detectors or one can use silicon image sensors that are optimised for visible light applications and under certain conditions can also be used quite effectively. Since the relevant radiation happens just above the natural detection limit of these silicon image sensors, the cameras which are optimised for this application, require sophisticated readout electronics to reduce the noise and therefore the detection limit to the absolute minimum.
PES: How much of your overall business is dedicated to the PV sector and is this sector growing?
GH: Right now cameras for solar cell quality control contribute about three per cent of our turnover, and the sector is growing.
PES: What’s your on-the-ground analysis of the European market at present?
GH: The market for testing and quality control instrumentation is still growing since it is the key to reduce costs by increasing efficiency and production yield. However, EL and PL measurements represent a relatively new option, still the development of a better understanding and interpretation of the results is ongoing. Therefore the interest is very high, but the appropriate action still has to come. We’re still at the early stages of the learning curve for using the cameras effectively.
