Method and apparatus for determining minority carrier diffusion length in semiconductors
Abstract
Method and apparatus are provided for determining the diffusion length of minority carriers in semiconductor material, particularly amorphous silicon, which has a significantly small minority carrier diffusion length using the constant magnitude surface-photovoltage (SPV) method. Steady or modulated illumination at several wavelengths provides the light excitation on the surface of the material to generate the SPV. A manually controlled or automatic servo system maintains a constant predetermined value of the SPV for each wavelength. A probe electrode immersed in an electrolyte solution containing redox couples (preferably quinhydrone) having an oxidation-reduction potential (E) in the order of +0.6 to -1.65 volts couples the SPV to a measurement system. The redox couple solution functions to create a liquid Schottky barrier at the surface of the material. The Schottky barrier is contacted by merely placing the probe in the solution. The redox solution is placed over and in contact with the material to be tested and light is passed through the solution to generate the SPV. To compensate for colored redox solutions a portion of the redox solution not over the material is also illuminated for determining the color compensated light intensity. Steady red light is also used as an optical bias tomore »
- Inventors:
-
- Princeton, NJ
- Issue Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 864900
- Patent Number(s):
- 4433288
- Application Number:
- 06/280,918
- Assignee:
- RCA Corporation (New York, NY)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01R - MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- DOE Contract Number:
- XG-0-9372-1
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; apparatus; determining; minority; carrier; diffusion; length; semiconductors; provided; carriers; semiconductor; material; particularly; amorphous; silicon; significantly; constant; magnitude; surface-photovoltage; spv; steady; modulated; illumination; wavelengths; provides; light; excitation; surface; generate; manually; controlled; automatic; servo; maintains; predetermined; value; wavelength; probe; electrode; immersed; electrolyte; solution; containing; redox; couples; preferably; quinhydrone; oxidation-reduction; potential; -1; 65; volts; measurement; couple; functions; create; liquid; schottky; barrier; contacted; merely; placing; placed; contact; tested; passed; compensate; colored; solutions; portion; illuminated; color; compensated; intensity; optical; bias; reduce; deleterious; space-charge; effects; occur; carrier diffusion; diffusion length; schottky barrier; solution containing; amorphous silicon; semiconductor material; electrolyte solution; minority carrier; light intensity; predetermined value; minority carriers; reduction potential; reduce deleterious; redox couples; automatic servo; manually controlled; particularly amorphous; redox couple; modulated illumination; oxidation-reduction potential; determining minority; constant predetermined; light excitation; magnitude surface-photovoltage; /324/136/
Citation Formats
Moore, Arnold R. Method and apparatus for determining minority carrier diffusion length in semiconductors. United States: N. p., 1984.
Web.
Moore, Arnold R. Method and apparatus for determining minority carrier diffusion length in semiconductors. United States.
Moore, Arnold R. Tue .
"Method and apparatus for determining minority carrier diffusion length in semiconductors". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864900.
@article{osti_864900,
title = {Method and apparatus for determining minority carrier diffusion length in semiconductors},
author = {Moore, Arnold R},
abstractNote = {Method and apparatus are provided for determining the diffusion length of minority carriers in semiconductor material, particularly amorphous silicon, which has a significantly small minority carrier diffusion length using the constant magnitude surface-photovoltage (SPV) method. Steady or modulated illumination at several wavelengths provides the light excitation on the surface of the material to generate the SPV. A manually controlled or automatic servo system maintains a constant predetermined value of the SPV for each wavelength. A probe electrode immersed in an electrolyte solution containing redox couples (preferably quinhydrone) having an oxidation-reduction potential (E) in the order of +0.6 to -1.65 volts couples the SPV to a measurement system. The redox couple solution functions to create a liquid Schottky barrier at the surface of the material. The Schottky barrier is contacted by merely placing the probe in the solution. The redox solution is placed over and in contact with the material to be tested and light is passed through the solution to generate the SPV. To compensate for colored redox solutions a portion of the redox solution not over the material is also illuminated for determining the color compensated light intensity. Steady red light is also used as an optical bias to reduce deleterious space-charge effects that occur in amorphous silicon.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 21 00:00:00 EST 1984},
month = {Tue Feb 21 00:00:00 EST 1984}
}