Microscopic Real-Space Resistance Mapping Across CdTe Solar Cell Junctions by Scanning Spreading Resistance Microscopy

Author

Huan Li ; Chun-Sheng Jiang ; Metzger, Wyatt K. ; Chih-Kang Shih ; Al-Jassim, Mowafak

Author_Institution

Nat. Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO, USA

Volume

5

Issue

1

fYear

2015

fDate

Jan. 2015

Firstpage

395

Lastpage

400

Abstract

We report on scanning spreading resistance microscopy on cross sections of thin-film CdTe devices. The results show the capability of identifying the multiple layers, the depletion region, and the nonuniform doping. We observe carrier injection and depletion region movement by laser illumination or by electrically biasing the device, directly revealing the underlying physics of the solar cell junction in real space with resolutions of nanometer scale.

Keywords

II-VI semiconductors; electrical resistivity; semiconductor doping; semiconductor thin films; solar cells; CdTe; depletion region; electric biasing; laser illumination; microscopic real-space resistance mapping; nonuniform doping; scanning spreading resistance microscopy; solar cell junctions; thin-film devices; Electrical resistance measurement; Force; Junctions; Photovoltaic cells; Probes; Resistance; Semiconductor lasers; CdTe; Thin-film PV; microelectrical property; scanning spreading resistance microscopy (SRRM); solar cell junction;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photovoltaics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

2156-3381

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JPHOTOV.2014.2363569

Filename

6939652