Fourier-transform photocurrent spectroscopy of microcrystalline silicon for solar cells

TLDR: In this paper, the spectral dependence of the optical absorption coefficient in thin films of hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon is measured over nine orders of magnitude in the subgap, defect-connected region, and in the above-the-band gap region.

Abstract: The spectral dependence of the optical absorption coefficient in thin films of hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon is measured over nine orders of magnitude in the subgap, defect-connected region, and in the above-the-band gap region Transmittance, reflectance, and constant photocurrent method measurements are combined with Fourier-transform photocurrent spectroscopy (FTPS) Results are analyzed and interpreted as due to electron transitions from defects or interband electron transitions, all having direct relevance to the thin-film microcrystalline silicon solar cell performance FTPS is a fast and sensitive quantitative method for quality assessment of microcrystalline silicon absorber in solar cells and can be used for quality monitoring in solar cell production