Scalpel AFM – advanced method of C-AFM

Authors

Matěj Hývl

Laboratory / Department
Department of Thin Films and Nanostructures
Year
2019

In the past, C-AFM has detected conductive areas on the surface of passive contacts. To investigate their origin and to determine the transport mechanism through this important layer of solar cells, we sampled the C-AFM. During this process, layers of material are removed due to high pressure, which makes it possible to create a 3D tomographic image of the conductivity in the passivation layer. Our measurements revealed the presence of conductivity channels that help passage of charge carriers through contact.

3D tomografic reconstruction of thin microcrystalline silicon film. Red objects are microcrystalline grains with higher conductivity, blue colour visualize the amorphous part of the film.
3D tomografic reconstruction of thin microcrystalline silicon film. Red objects are microcrystalline grains with higher conductivity, blue colour visualize the amorphous part of the film.

Cooperating institutions:

  • PV-Center, Centre Suisse d'Électronique et de Microtechnique, Rue Jaquet-Droz 1, CH-2002 Neuchâtel, Switzerland;
  • Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Microengineering (IMT), Photovoltaics and Thin-Film Electronics Laboratory (PV-Lab), Rue de la Maladière 71b, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland.