In-Situ Electrical Measurements of Thin Photovoltaic Silicon Wafers during Nanoindentation

Abstract

In this study, we have used a single nanoindentation probe to simultaneously examine the deformation behavior and electrical properties of both mono- and multi-crystalline PV silicon. During nanoindentation loading and unloading cycles, various pressure induced phase transformations occur both under and in the vicinity of the indentation tip. These phase transformations can be monitored in-situ via signature "pop-in" and "pop-out" events that occur in both electrical I-V and physical indent displacement curves. These events are a function of the Si chemistry, structure, and orientation, which we have examined via simultaneous measurements through a conductive nanoprobe, along with complementary spectroscopic Raman analysis.