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Direct Correlation of Solar Cell Performance with Metal Impurity Distributions in Polycrystalline Silicon using Synchrotron-Based X-ray Analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

S. A. McHugo ,
A. C. Thompson ,
G. Lamble ,
A. MacDowell ,
R. Celestre ,
H. Padmore ,
M. Imaizumi ,
M. Yamaguchi ,
I. Perichaud  and
S. Martinuzzi
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S. A. McHugo
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA, samchugo@lbl.gov
A. C. Thompson
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
G. Lamble
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
A. MacDowell
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
R. Celestre
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
H. Padmore
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
M. Imaizumi
Affiliation:
Toyota Technological Institute, Nagoya, JAPAN
M. Yamaguchi
Affiliation:
Toyota Technological Institute, Nagoya, JAPAN
I. Perichaud
Affiliation:
Lab. de Photoélectricité des Semi-Conducteurs, University of Marseille, FRANCE
S. Martinuzzi
Affiliation:
Lab. de Photoélectricité des Semi-Conducteurs, University of Marseille, FRANCE
M. Werner
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institute für Mikrostructur Physik, Halle, GERMANY
M. Rinio
Affiliation:
University of Freiberg, GERMANY
H. J. Moller
Affiliation:
University of Freiberg, GERMANY
B. Sopori
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, USA
H. Hieslmair
Affiliation:
University of California at Berkeley, Department of Materials Science, CA, USA
C. Flink
Affiliation:
University of California at Berkeley, Department of Materials Science, CA, USA
A. Istratov
Affiliation:
University of California at Berkeley, Department of Materials Science, CA, USA
E. R. Weber
Affiliation:
University of California at Berkeley, Department of Materials Science, CA, USA
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Abstract

The work presented here directly measures metal impurity distributions and their chemical state in as-grown and fully processed polycrystalline silicon used for terrestrial-based solar cells. The goal was to determine if a correlation exists between poorly performing regions of solar cells and metal impurity distributions as well as to ascertain the chemical state of the impurities. Synchrotron-based x-ray fluorescence mapping and x-ray absorption spectroscopy, both with a spatial resolution of lμm, were used to measure impurity distributions and chemical state, respectively, in poorly performing regions of polycrystalline silicon. The Light Beam Induced Current method was used to measure minority carrier recombination in the material in order to identify poor performance regions. We have detected iron, chromium, nickel, gold and copper impurity precipitates and we have recognized a direct correlation between impurity distributions and poor performing regions in both as-grown and fully processed material. Furthermore, from x-ray absorption studies, we have initial results, indicating that the Fe in this material is in oxide form, not FeSi2,. These results provide a fundamental understanding into the efficiency-limiting factors of polycrystalline silicon solar cells as well as yielding insight for methods of solar cell improvement.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 524: Symposium V – Application of Synchrotron Radiation Techniques…IV , 1998 , 297
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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References

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