Contactless measurement of recombination lifetime in photovoltaic materials

• Published in: Solar energy materials and solar cells Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 59 - 73
• Main Authors: Ahrenkiel, R.K., Johnston, Steven
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-09-1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Natural energy; Photovoltaic conversion; Photovoltaics; Recombination; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Recombination; Photovoltaics; Solar cell; Electronic properties; Silicon; Material testing; Radiofrequency; Non contact measurement
• ISSN: 0927-0248; 1879-3398
• DOI: 10.1016/S0927-0248(98)00047-6

Contactless measurement of important semiconductor parameters has become the goal of current semiconductor diagnostics. Here we will describe an improved version of radio-frequency photoconductive decay operating in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) region. Previous work has referred to the general technique as UHF photoconductive decay. This work will show that the improved technique is capable of measuring samples ranging in size from submicron thin films to large silicon ingots. The UHF frequency region is an ideal compromise for volume penetration and lifetime resolution with system response or 10
ns or less.