Microscopic measurements of variations in local (photo)electronic properties in nanostructured solar cells

0396256 - FZÚ 2014 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Fejfar, Antonín - Hývl, Matěj - Ledinský, Martin - Vetushka, Aliaksi - Stuchlík, Jiří - Kočka, Jan - Misra, S. - O'Donnell, B. - Foldyna, M. - Yu, L. - Roca i Cabarrocas, P.
Microscopic measurements of variations in local (photo)electronic properties in nanostructured solar cells.
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells. Roč. 119, Dec (2013), s. 228-234. ISSN 0927-0248. E-ISSN 1879-3398
R&D Projects: GA MPO FR-TI2/736; GA ČR GA13-25747S; GA ČR GA13-12386S; GA MŠMT(CZ) LM2011026
Grant - others:AVČR(CZ) M100101216; AVČR(CZ) M100101217
Institutional support: RVO:68378271
Keywords : silicon * thin films * nanowires * random diode arrays * atomic force microscopy * photoresponse
Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism
Impact factor: 5.030, year: 2013

Modern nanostructured designs of solar cells improve photovoltaic conversion by better light trapping and collection of photogenerated charges. Illustrative example may be cells composed of radial junctions on semiconductor nanowires with ~100 nm size. They exhibit variations of shape, size and properties which influence local photovoltaic conversion. The cells operate as random arrays of microscopic photodiodes connected in parallel with overall performance limited by weak diodes. We demonstrate the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM) with conductive cantilever for study of local (photo)electronic properties of silicon nanostructures: p–i–n radial junctions of amorphous Si grown on Si nanowires. We have used the conductive AFM to study the local photoresponse of the microcrystalline grains in mixed phase thin films to changes of external illumination. We discuss possibilities of comparing the local photoresponse to local photovoltaic conversion efficiency.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0224089