Local Electrical Properties of Non-Doped Polycrystalline Silicon Thin-Films Evaluated Using Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy

2003 ◽  
Vol 93 ◽  
pp. 339-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoichiro Aya ◽  
Atsushi Andoh ◽  
Satoshi Yamasaki ◽  
Kenichiro Wakisaka
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Electrical Properties ◽  
Polycrystalline Silicon ◽  
Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Silicon Thin Films ◽  
Atomic Force

Local photoconductivity of microcrystalline silicon thin films measured by conductive atomic force microscopy

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (10-11) ◽  
pp. 373-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Ledinský ◽  
Antonín Fejfar ◽  
Aliaksei Vetushka ◽  
Jiří Stuchlík ◽  
Bohuslav Rezek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon ◽  
Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Silicon Thin Films ◽  
Atomic Force

Imaging Electron Transport across Grain Boundaries in an Integrated Electron and Atomic Force Microscopy Platform: Application to Polycrystalline Silicon Solar Cells

2009 ◽  
Vol 1153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel J Romero ◽  
Fude Liu ◽  
Oliver Kunz ◽  
Johnson Wong ◽  
Chun-Sheng Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Electron Transport ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Polycrystalline Silicon ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force

AbstractWe have investigated the local electron transport in polycrystalline silicon (pc-Si) thin-films by atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based measurements of the electron-beam-induced current (EBIC). EVA solar cells are produced at UNSW by <i>EVAporation</i> of a-Si and subsequent <i>solid-phase crystallization</i>–a potentially cost-effective approach to the production of pc-Si photovoltaics. A fundamental understanding of the electron transport in these pc-Si thin films is of prime importance to address the factors limiting the efficiency of EVA solar cells. EBIC measurements performed in combination with an AFM integrated inside an electron microscope can resolve the electron transport across individual grain boundaries. AFM-EBIC reveals that most grain boundaries present a high energy barrier to the transport of electrons for both p-type and n-type EVA thin-films. Furthermore, for p-type EVA pc-Si, in contrast with n-type, charged grain boundaries are seen. Recombination at grain boundaries seems to be the dominant factor limiting the efficiency of these pc-Si solar cells.

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