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Origin of the low carrier lifetime edge zone in multicrystalline PV silicon
Author(s) -
Nærland Tine Uberg,
Arnberg Lars,
Holt Arve
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/pip.876
Subject(s) - ingot , materials science , silicon , impurity , crucible (geodemography) , getter , enhanced data rates for gsm evolution , dislocation , diffusion , microstructure , carrier lifetime , metallurgy , analytical chemistry (journal) , crystallography , composite material , chemistry , telecommunications , computational chemistry , physics , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , alloy , chromatography , computer science , thermodynamics
An investigation of impurities, crystal defects and microstructure has been performed on the edge zone, i.e. close to the crucible wall, which experiences reduced carrier lifetime in a directionally solidified multicrystalline p‐doped silicon ingot. The characterization methods applied have been QSSPC, FTIR, μW‐PCD, EBSD, CDI, PVScan, optical microscopy, FeB‐pair splitting and GDMS. The results of the minority carrier lifetime measurements have revealed strongly reduced values in the vicinity of the edge (< 1 μs). Increased values were obtained starting at 15–17 mm from the edge. Light elements analyses showed that the O, N and C concentrations, interstitially or in particles, did not increase in the edge zone, neither did the dislocation density. GDMS analyses detected traces of aluminium, iron, copper, titanium and chromium. The total iron concentration showed an increase towards the edge, though high concentrations were occasionally detected in the bulk. FeB pair analysis revealed large concentrations of Fe (∼1 × 10 13 cm −3 ) in the vicinity of the edge with a distinctively decreasing trend moving away from the edge. The detected FeB‐concentrations are sufficient to account for the majority of the lifetime degradation close to the edge (0‐‐15 mm). In addition, Fe, in the form of FeB pairs, was extensively observed as object to internal gettering to high angle boundaries and dislocations. Fe, in the form of FeB pairs, is furthermore believed to originate from solid state diffusion from the crucible and coating. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.