SIMS analysis for detection of contaminants in thin film photovoltaics

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Abstract

Minor contaminants in electrodeposited thin film CdTe which produce efficient solar cells have been investigated by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) using three different primary ions and three different SIMS instruments. To obtain SIMS data which represent what is present in the sample, a number of precautions must be taken. These are illustrated and positive SIMS data from an electrodeposited film show that it has fewer impurities than commercial crystal CdTe specified as 5N pure. The impurities in the film had not been intentionally added, so their source was investigated by SIMS and found to be the starting chemicals and deposition vessels. For quantification, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectroscopy of the deposition solutions provided upper limits for the impurity concentration.

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    Present address: National Occupational Health and Safety Commission, Sydney 2001, Australia.

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