Nanoprobe X-ray fluorescence characterization of defects in large-area solar cells

• The performance of centimeter-sized energy devices is regulated by inhomogeneously distributednanoscale defects. To improve device efficiency and reduce cost, accurate characterization of thesenanoscale defects is necessary. However, the multiscale nature of this problem presentsa characterization challenge, as non-destructive techniques often specialize in a single decade of lengthscales, and have difficulty probing non-destructively beneath the surface of materials with sub-micronspatial resolution. Herein, we push the resolution limits of synchrotron-based nanoprobe X-rayfluorescence mapping to 80 nm, to investigate a recombination-active intragranular defect in industrialsolar cells. Our nano-XRF measurements distinguish fundamental differences between benign anddeleterious dislocations in solar cell devices: we observe recombination-active dislocations to containa high degree of nanoscale iron and copper decoration, while recombination-inactive dislocationsappear clean. Statistically meaningful high-resolution measurements establish a connection betweencommercially relevant materials and previous fundamental studies on intentionally contaminatedmodel defect structures, pointing the way towards optimization of the industrial solar cell process.Moreover, this study presents a hierarchical characterization approach that can be broadly extended toother nanodefect-limited energy systems with the advent of high-resolution X-ray imaging beamlines

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

silicon

defect

dislocation

solar cell

Physics

Fysik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)