Development of an in situ temperature stage for synchrotron X-ray spectromicroscopy
- Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
- Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ (United States)
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
In situ characterization of micro- and nanoscale defects in polycrystalline thin-film materials is required to elucidate the physics governing defect formation and evolution during photovoltaic device fabrication and operation. X-ray fluorescence spectromicroscopy is particularly well-suited to study defects in compound semiconductors, as it has a large information depth appropriate to study thick and complex materials, is sensitive to trace amounts of atomic species, and provides quantitative elemental information, non-destructively. Current in situ methods using this technique typically require extensive sample preparation. In this work, we design and build an in situ temperature stage to study defect kinetics in thin-film solar cells under actual processing conditions, requiring minimal sample preparation. Careful selection of construction materials also enables controlled non-oxidizing atmospheres inside the sample chamber such as H2Se and H2S. Temperature ramp rates of up to 300 °C/min are achieved, with a maximum sample temperature of 600 °C. As a case study, we use the stage for synchrotron X-ray fluorescence spectromicroscopy of CuInxGa1–xSe2 (CIGS) thin-films and demonstrate predictable sample thermal drift for temperatures 25–400°C, allowing features on the order of the resolution of the measurement technique (125 nm) to be tracked while heating. As a result, the stage enables previously unattainable in situ studies of nanoscale defect kinetics under industrially relevant processing conditions, allowing a deeper understanding of the relationship between material processing parameters, materials properties, and device performance.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities Division
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357; EE0005848; 1144616
- OSTI ID:
- 1237842
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1226508
- Journal Information:
- Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 86, Issue 11; ISSN 0034-6748
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
Defect activation and annihilation in CIGS solar cells: an operando X-ray microscopy study
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text | January 2020 |
Defect activation and annihilation in CIGS solar cells: an operando x-ray microscopy study
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journal | February 2020 |
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