Method of analyzing silicon groove damage using QSS-PC, PL imaging, silicon etch rate, and visual microscopy for solar cell fabrication

Date

2011

Authors

Fong, Kean
Blakers, Andrew

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons Inc

Abstract

This work uses a variety of tools to investigate damage caused by laser and dicing saw grooving in silicon. The tools comprise quasi steady state photoconductance decay, photoluminescence imaging, measurement of silicon etch rate in anisotropic etch solution, and visual microscopy. Shallow grooves were formed using a 532 nm Q-switched Nd:YLF frequency doubled solid state laser and a high speed spindle dicing saw. Combined analysis of the characterization tools enabled determination of the damage radius of the grooves within the bulk of the wafer, the radius of damage in the dielectric layer laterally along the surface of the wafer, as well as the groove etching requirements to fully recover the minority carrier lifetime in the vicinity of the groove.

Description

Keywords

Keywords: Anisotropic etch; Combined analysis; Damage; Dicing; Dicing saw; Dielectric layer; Etch rates; Groove etching; High-speed spindle; Minority carrier lifetimes; Photoluminescence imaging; Q-switched; Quasi-steady state photoconductance decays; Solar cell fa Damage; Dicing; Laser; Photoluminescence; Silicon; Solar cell

Citation

Source

Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications

Type

Journal article

Book Title

Entity type

Access Statement

License Rights

Restricted until

2037-12-31