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X-ray Beam Induced Current Measurements for Multi-Modal X-ray Microscopy of Solar Cells

X-ray Beam Induced Current Measurements for Multi-Modal X-ray Microscopy of Solar Cells

Published on: August 20, 2019

Synchrotron microanalysis techniques applied to potential photovoltaic materials.

Julie Villanova¹, Jaime Segura-Ruiz, Tamzin Lafford

¹ESRF, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, BP 220, 38043 Grenoble, France.

Journal of Synchrotron Radiation

|June 21, 2012

Summary

Synchrotron X-ray techniques reveal metallic impurities and defects in silicon solar cells. These methods also show arsenic distribution in gallium arsenide, improving understanding of photovoltaic material optical properties.

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Fabrication of Fully Solution Processed Inorganic Nanocrystal Photovoltaic Devices

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Published on: July 8, 2016

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Solid State Physics
Semiconductor Physics

Background:

Photovoltaic materials are crucial for renewable energy generation.
Understanding semiconductor properties is key to improving solar cell efficiency.
Defects and impurities significantly impact photovoltaic performance.

Purpose of the Study:

To characterize photovoltaic semiconductors using advanced X-ray synchrotron radiation techniques.
To investigate the correlation between material properties and optical performance.
To demonstrate the utility of combined synchrotron microanalysis for material insights.

Main Methods:

Micro-X-ray-fluorescence (µXRF) mapping.
X-ray beam induced current (XBIC) mapping.
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL).

Main Results:

Metallic impurities were found to accumulate at crystallographic defect interfaces in multicrystalline silicon.
Current variations in silicon cells were linked to bulk defects and structural variations.
Inhomogeneous arsenic distribution in gallium arsenide correlated with photoluminescence signals, with higher arsenic concentrations enhancing luminescence.

Conclusions:

Synchrotron-based microanalysis techniques offer powerful tools for detailed semiconductor characterization.
Combining techniques like µXRF, XBIC, XRF, and XEOL provides comprehensive insights into photovoltaic material quality.
These methods contribute to a deeper understanding of optical properties and defect-related performance limitations in solar cells.