Abstract
The determination of elemental distributions in thin film solar cells based on amorphous silicon using electron beam SNMS is possible by quantifying the measured ion intensities. The relative sensitivity factors (RSFs) for all elements measured have to be known. The RSFs have been determined experimentally using implantation and bulk standards with known concentrations of the interesting elements. The measured RSFs have been compared with calculated RSFs. The model used for the calculation of the RSFs takes into account the probability for electron impact ionization and the dwell time of the neutrals inside the postionization region. The comparison between measured and calculated RSFs shows, that this model is capable to explain the RSFs for most elements. Differences between calculated and measured values can be explained by the formation of hydride and fluoride molecules (in case of H and F) and influences of the angular distribution of the sputtered neutrals in case of Al. The experimentally determined RSFs have been used for a quantification of depth profiles of the i-, buffer-, p- and front contact layers of a-Si solar cells.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Carlson DE (1984) In: The physics of hydrogenated amorphous silicon I. Springer, Berlin New York Tokyo
Chopra KL, Das SR (1983) Thin film solar cells. Plenum Press, New York
Collington JS et al (1991) Thin Solid Films 200:293
Oechsner H (1984) Thin film and depth profile analysis. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo
Benninghoven A, Rüdenauer FG, Werner HW (1987) Secondary ion mass spectrometry. Wiley New York, pp 441–442, 540–547
Thompson MW (1968) Philos Mag 18:377
Samsonov GV (1968) Handbook of physochemical properties of the elements. Plenum Press, New York Washington
Thompson MW (1987) Nucl Inst Meth B 18:411–429
Lotz W (1970) Z Physik 232:101–107
Lotz W (1970) J Opt Soc Am 60:206–210
Eicke A, Bilger E (1988) Surface and Interface Analysis 12:344–350
Weller HC, Mauch RH, Bauer GH (1992) Sol Energy Mat and Solar Cells 27:217–231
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work is part of the planned dissertation of M. Gastel at Hein-rich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gastel, M., Breuer, U., Holzbrecher, H. et al. Quantitative determination of element distributions in silicon based thin film solar cells using SNMS. Fresenius J Anal Chem 353, 478–482 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00322092
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00322092