Combined electron beam induced current imaging (EBIC) and focused ion beam(FIB) techniques for thin film solar cell characterization

摘要

A novel analytical method applying combined electron beamrninduced current (EBIC) imaging based on scanning electronrnmicroscopy (SEM) and focused ion beam (FIB) crossrnsectioning in a SEM/FIB dualbeam system is presented. Thernmethod is demonstrated in several case studies for processrncharacterization and failure analysis of thin film technologyrnbased Solar cells, including Silicon (CSG), CadmiumrnTelluride (CdTe) and Copper Indium Selenide (CIS)rnabsorbers. While existing techniques such as electro-,rnphotoluminescence spectroscopy and lock-in thermographyrnare able to locate the larger, electrically active defectsrnreasonably fast on a large area, the FIB-SEM EBIC system isrnuniquely capable of detecting sub-micron, sub-surface defectsrnand of analysing these defects in the same system. Inrncombination with a FIB, the localized region of interest can berneasily cross sectioned and additional EBIC analysis can bernapplied for a three dimensional analysis of the p junction.