Abstract
Scientists have begun using self-replicating rapid prototyper (RepRap) 3-D printers to manufacture open source digital designs of scientific equipment. This approach is refined here to develop a novel instrument capable of performing automated large-area four-point probe measurements. The designs for conversion of a RepRap 3-D printer to a 2-D open source four-point probe (OS4PP) measurement device are detailed for the mechanical and electrical systems. Free and open source software and firmware are developed to operate the tool. The OS4PP was validated against a wide range of discrete resistors and indium tin oxide (ITO) samples of different thicknesses both pre- and post-annealing. The OS4PP was then compared to two commercial proprietary systems. Results of resistors from 10 to 1 MΩ show errors of less than 1% for the OS4PP. The 3-D mapping of sheet resistance of ITO samples successfully demonstrated the automated capability to measure non-uniformities in large-area samples. The results indicate that all measured values are within the same order of magnitude when compared to two proprietary measurement systems. In conclusion, the OS4PP system, which costs less than 70% of manual proprietary systems, is comparable electrically while offering automated 100 micron positional accuracy for measuring sheet resistance over larger areas.
Highlights
The spreading of the open source movement to science has achieved success as a research accelerator for many disciplines [1]
Research in basic electronic materials for solar photovoltaic cells and other applications is hampered by the costs associated with electrical measurement of the materials
An open source methodology has been applied to electrical conductivity measurements to solve challenges in basic materials research by reducing the cost required for scientific characterization equipment
Summary
The spreading of the open source movement to science has achieved success as a research accelerator for many disciplines [1]. 3-D printing, using low-cost open-source self-replicating rapid prototypers (RepRaps), has helped overcome this challenge [3]. To further reduce levelized costs of solar electricity, more efficient PV devices need to be produced through the use of advanced light management schemes [33,34,35,36,37,38]. Future high-power-conversion-efficiency PV devices must effectively utilize the incident AM1.5 solar spectrum with negligible losses of incident photons into the cell. This requires new novel materials and techniques for the next-generation of solar cells [38,39]. More basic materials research especially on transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) as top contacts for PV devices is still needed. There is on-going basic material research into advanced anti-reflection coatings [41,42] and transparent conducting oxides and electrodes [40,43,44]
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