  An innovative image analysis technique is proposed to process real solar cell
pictures, identify grains and grain boundaries in polycrystalline Silicon, and
finally generate finite element meshes. Using a modified intrinsic cohesive
zone model approach to avoid mesh dependency, nonlinear finite element
simulations show how grain boundaries and Silicon bulk properties influence the
crack pattern. Numerical results demonstrate a prevalence of transgranular over
intergranular cracking for similar interface fracture properties of grains and
grain boundaries, in general agreement with the experimental observation.
