SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FORMING PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES USING DARK-FIELD IV CHARACTERISTICS

1 . A method for forming a solar energy collection device comprising:

receiving a first photovoltaic string comprising a first plurality of photovoltaic strips coupled via a first plurality of conductors, wherein the first photovoltaic string is tested to have a first dark-field current/voltage characteristic;

receiving a second photovoltaic string comprising a second plurality of photovoltaic strips coupled via a second plurality of conductors, wherein the second photovoltaic string is tested to have a second dark-field current/voltage characteristic;

electrically coupling the first photovoltaic string and the second photovoltaic string;

wherein the first dark-field current/voltage characteristic is substantially similar to the second dark-field current/voltage characteristic.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the first dark-field current/voltage characteristic associated with the first photovoltaic string in a dark environment.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein determining the first dark-field current/voltage characteristic comprises:

applying varying voltages across a pair of conductors from the first plurality of conductors; and

monitoring dark-field current responses in response to the varying voltages.

4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the varying voltages comprise applying positive voltages.

5 . The method of claim 3 wherein the varying voltages comprise applying negative voltages.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the second dark-field current/voltage characteristic associated with the second photovoltaic string; and

determining a third dark-field current/voltage characteristic associated with a third photovoltaic string.

7 . The method of claim 6

wherein the first dark-field current/voltage characteristic is more similar to the second dark-field current/voltage characteristic than to the third dark-field current/voltage characteristic, and

wherein the first photovoltaic string is not electrically coupled to the third photovoltaic string.

8 . A method for forming a solar energy collection device comprising:

determining the first dark-field current/voltage characteristic associated with a first photovoltaic string, wherein the first photovoltaic string comprise a first plurality of photovoltaic strips coupled via a first plurality of conductors;

determining the second dark-field current/voltage characteristic associated with the second photovoltaic string, wherein the second photovoltaic string comprise a second plurality of photovoltaic strips coupled via a second plurality of conductors;

determining the third dark-field current/voltage characteristic associated with the third photovoltaic string, wherein the third photovoltaic string comprise a third plurality of photovoltaic strips coupled via a third plurality of conductors;

selecting the first photovoltaic string and the second photovoltaic string for coupling to a fourth plurality of conductors but not the third photovoltaic string, in response to the first dark-field current/voltage characteristic, to the second dark-field current voltage characteristic, and to the third dark-field current/voltage characteristic; and

electrically coupling the first photovoltaic string and the second photovoltaic string via a fourth plurality of conductors.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein determining the first dark-field current/voltage characteristic comprises:

applying varying voltages across a pair of conductors from the first plurality of conductors; and

monitoring dark-field current response in response to the varying voltages.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein determining the first dark-field current/voltage characteristic comprises placing the first photovoltaic string in a dark area.

11 . The method of claim 9 wherein a range of varying voltages are selected from a group consisting of: a range of positive voltages, a range of negative voltages.

12 . The method of claim 8 further comprising:

associating the first photovoltaic string with a first performance bin;

associating the second photovoltaic string with the first performance bin; and

associating the third photovoltaic string with a second performance bin.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the selecting step comprises selecting the first photovoltaic string and the second photovoltaic string from the first performance bin.

14 . A light energy collection device comprising:

a sheet of glass, wherein the sheet of glass includes a plurality of light concentrating geometric features, wherein each of the plurality of light concentrating geometric features are uniquely associated with an exitant region;

a plurality of photovoltaic strings including a first photovoltaic string and a second photovoltaic string, are coupled to the sheet of glass, wherein each of the photovoltaic strings comprises a plurality of photovoltaic strips, wherein a position for each photovoltaic strip is configured to be aligned to at least a portion of the exitant regions associated with each of the plurality of light concentrating geometric features;

wherein the plurality of photovoltaic strings are electrically coupled via a plurality of conductors to form a photovoltaic module; and

wherein a dark-field current/voltage characteristic of the first photovoltaic string are substantially similar to a dark-field current/voltage characteristic of the second photovoltaic string.

15 . The device of claim 14

wherein the plurality of photovoltaic strings excludes a third photovoltaic string;

wherein a dark-field current/voltage characteristic is associated with the third photovoltaic string; and

wherein the dark-field current/voltage characteristic of the third photovoltaic string is substantially dissimilar to the dark-field current/voltage characteristic of the first photovoltaic string.

16 . The device of claim 14 wherein the dark-field current/voltage characteristic of the first photovoltaic string comprises an internal resistance associated with the first photovoltaic string.

17 . The device of claim 14 wherein the dark-field current/voltage characteristic of the first photovoltaic string are selected from a group consisting of: an open circuit, a short circuit.

18 . The device of claim 14 wherein the dark-field current/voltage characteristic of the first photovoltaic string are determined by placing the first photovoltaic string in a reduced-light environment.

19 . The device of claim 14 further comprising an adhesive layer disposed between the sheet of glass and the photovoltaic module.

20 . The device of claim 19 wherein the sheet of glass, the adhesive layer, and the photovoltaic module are annealed to form a photovoltaic module.