Correlation of thermal-wave imaging to other analysis methods

Abstract

Thermal-wave microscopy is a recent innovation which is potentially very useful for characterizing defects in semiconductor materials. To help understand the mechanisms which generate contrast in thermal-wave micrographs we have done a correlation study with optical microscopy, backscattered electron imaging, electron beam induced current imaging, light beam induced current imaging, and x-ray topography. For this study we used a section of a polycrystalline silicon solar cell. The results show a strong correlation for both crystalline defects and for electrically active defects in this material but thermal-wave microscopy has the advantages of speed of analysis and lack of specimen preparation required.