Spectral Response Measurements Research Articles

Primary realization of spectral responsivity in the near infrared using a laser-driven light source

Abstract The National Research Council (NRC) Canada has realized the spectral responsivity scale from 900 nm to 1600 nm using a Xe-based laser driven light source, double subtractive monochromator system, and an absolute cryogenic radiometer. An NRC-designed InGaAs sphere transfer standard radiometer was calibrated with combined relative standard uncertainties below 0.135 % (k=1). The scale realization was also performed with a 100 W tungsten lamp, as previously done at NRC. Calibration results and uncertainties in spectral responsivity measurements with each broadband light source are compared and presented.

Signal Components and Impedance Spectroscopy of Potential p‐Si/n‐CdS/ALD‐ZnO Solar Cells: EIS and SCAPS‐1D Treatments

AbstractA silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cell with the attractive and widely used atomic layer deposited (ALD)‐ZnO/n‐CdS/p‐Si configuration is examined in this work to learn more about its electrical properties. Using EIS and SCAPS‐1D, a comprehensive model of the device is created and then simulated. Theoretical aspects of the cell are examined through the use of similar electrical circuit models, focusing on the transmittance spectrum made possible by the ALD‐ZnO layer's low reflectance and high visible transmittance. In this study, the C–V tool is used to study the trap states in the silicon absorber layer under different lighting conditions and wavelengths. The doping concentration and built‐in potential are determined using the Mott–Schottky technique. In addition, the cell's properties are investigated by measuring its G–V, G–F, C–T, and C–F in different real‐world scenarios. As a means of visualizing the electrochemical impedance data, Nyquist plots—sometimes called Cole–Cole plots—are utilized. By utilizing absolute impedance and phase shifts, Bode plots are employed to examine the system's frequency response. Last, the results of the SHJ cell's spectral response measurements are given, which confirm the results of the Nyquist plots.

Layer-Controlled Growth of Single-Crystalline 2D Bi2O2Se Film Driven by Interfacial Reconstruction.

As semiconductor scaling continues to reach sub-nanometer levels, two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are emerging as a promising candidate for the post-silicon material. Among these alternatives, Bi2O2Se has risen as an exceptionally promising 2D semiconductor thanks to its excellent electrical properties, attributed to its appropriate bandgap and small effective mass. However, unlike other 2D materials, growth of large-scale Bi2O2Se films with precise layer control is still challenging due to its large surface energy caused by relatively strong interlayer electrostatic interactions. Here, we present the successful growth of a wafer-scale (∼3 cm) Bi2O2Se film with precise thickness control down to the monolayer level on TiO2-terminated SrTiO3 using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) analysis confirmed the formation of a [BiTiO4]1- interfacial structure, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the formation of [BiTiO4]1- significantly reduced the interfacial energy between Bi2O2Se and SrTiO3, thereby promoting 2D growth. Additionally, spectral responsivity measurements of two-terminal devices confirmed a bandgap increase of up to 1.9 eV in monolayer Bi2O2Se, which is consistent with our DFT calculations. Finally, we demonstrated high-performance Bi2O2Se field-effect transistor (FET) arrays, exhibiting an excellent average electron mobility of 56.29 cm2/(V·s). This process is anticipated to enable wafer-scale applications of 2D Bi2O2Se and facilitate exploration of intriguing physical phenomena in confined 2D systems.

Trap levels analysis in MWIR InAs/InAsSb T2SL photodiode

Mid-wave infrared (MWIR) photodiode with an InAs/InAsSb superlattice active layer was characterized by the photoluminescence (PL), spectral response (SR) and deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements. Three independent methods, in combination with the theoretical calculations, were used to determine the transitions between superlattice minibands, as well as to and from the trap states. The determined effective band gap of the investigated superlattice is 251 meV at 70 K. Most of the detected trap states lie within the energy gap, around 60 and 80 meV below the first electron miniband, and near the mid-gap. Moreover, trap states located above the first electron miniband and below the first light hole miniband were also observed. It is worth emphasizing that the PL and DLTS measurements give consistent results. Additionally, the activation energy of 16 meV for the Be acceptor dopant was determined using the PL measurement.

A novel method of determining bias lights for spectral response measurement of GaAs multi-junction laser power converters and its applications

Quantitative electrical analysis of sub-cells is crucial for the designing of high-efficiency GaAs multi-junction laser power converters (MJLPCs). However, finding suitable bias lights to separate the electrical performance of sub-cells is an enormous challenge, due to GaAs MJLPCs being assembled by GaAs p-n junctions. Therefore, this study proposes a novel and general method of determining bias lights for the SR measurement of GaAs MJLPCs based on the variation rules of simulated short-circuit current densities with wavelengths in the sub-cells of GaAs MJLPCs. By the method of determining bias lights, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) curves of a GaAs four-junction LPC have been successfully measured for the first time, which confirms the validity of the method.

Contribution of the photoluminescence effect of the stain etched porous silicon in improvement of screen printed silicon solar cell performance

In this work, we investigate the potential use of porous silicon (PS) nanostructures stain etched into photovoltaic technology as one possible way to increase the silicon solar cell (SC) efficiency at low cost. The process is based on a combination of texturization and porous silicon formed by metal assisted etching which used the screen printed front grid contact. The photoluminescence (PL), the reflectivity spectra of the PS layers, spectral response and electrical measurements are presented and discussed. As a result, the short circuit current density was improved by more than 21%. We observed an increase in internal quantum efficiency (iQE) in the region where the PL of the PS layers appears and the minority carriers’ diffusion length is enhanced by more than 60 . We report the correlation between the converter PL intensity and iQE and we demonstrate that the photoluminescence properties and the increased photocurrent result in an improvement of the solar cell efficiency.

A novel radiometric calibration of an infrared thermometer

A new temperature calibration scheme was proposed and implemented on the National Physical Laboratory infrared radiometer Absolute Measurements of Blackbody Emitted Radiance (AMBER) operating in the wavelength range from 9 µm to 11 µm and equipped with a cryogenically cooled mercury cadmium telluride detector. The scheme involves measurements of the relative spectral responsivity of the filter radiometer including the spectral transmittance of the window and lens. It requires calibration at two reference temperatures, but does not involve measurement of the zero-radiance signal. The scheme uses a Ga-point blackbody as one reference point, and a variable temperature blackbody source at close to −30 °C with its temperature measured with a standard platinum resistance thermometer as the other. The measured temperature was compared using the variable temperature blackbody as the source against the temperature measured by the standard platinum resistance thermometer and agreement within the uncertainties was confirmed at intermediate temperatures. The scheme has the advantage that it makes full use of the small uncertainty realised by the fixed-point blackbody. The scheme was successfully implemented in an international comparison of sea surface temperature measuring radiometers where AMBER served to provide the reference.

Internal quantum efficiency of silicon photodetectors at ultraviolet wavelengths

We determine experimentally the internal quantum efficiency of a 3-element trap detector made of Hamamatsu S1337 photodiodes and of a predictable quantum efficient detector (PQED) over the wavelength range of 250–500 nm using an electrically calibrated pyroelectric radiometer as reference detector. The PQED is made of specially designed induced junction photodiodes, whose charge-carrier recombination losses are minimized. The determined internal quantum efficiency of PQED is always 1 or larger, whereas the 3-element trap detector has internal quantum efficiency smaller than 1 in the spectral range of 330–450 nm. This finding demonstrates the advantages of PQED photodiodes for studying the quantum yield due to impact ionization by charge carriers in the silicon lattice. For this purpose, we develop an extrapolation model for the charge-carrier recombination losses of the PQED, which allows us to separate the quantum yield from the measured internal quantum efficiency. Measurements of PQED spectral responsivity thus allow to determine the quantum yield in silicon, which can be further used for quantifying the charge-carrier recombination losses in the 3-element trap detector. Numerical values of the latter are from 6% to 2% in the spectral range from 250 nm to 380 nm. Finally, our results are encouraging for the aim of developing the PQED to a primary detector standard also at ultraviolet wavelengths.

Simulation of Colored BIPV Modules Using Angular-Dependent Spectral Responsivity

An accurate energy yield estimation for building-integrated photovoltaic (PV) applications with colored glass under field conditions is a key factor for architects, building planners, and potential investors. The power output of these installations depends not only on the angle of incidence but also on the incident solar spectrum. The aim of this work is to simulate the short-circuit current of PV single-cell laminates with colored solar glass under field conditions. Therefore, we use angular-dependent spectral responsivity measurement data from a physical setup. Test samples with gold-, blue-, blue-green-, and gray-colored solar glass and a reference with standard solar glass, oriented on a tilted surface, are simulated. The results for one month of field validation indicate a good agreement with a relative root mean square error between 1.9% and 2.5% for the test samples. A model comparison reveals larger errors for the blue, blue-green, and gold test samples when the spectral responsivity at normal incidence and the incident angle modifier for broadband direct irradiation are used instead. It is concluded that short-circuit current simulation using indoor characterization from spectrally resolved measurement setups provides improved accuracy that is particularly suitable for bankable energy yield estimates of colored building-integrated PV modules.

Photoluminescence Study of As Doped p-type HgCdTe Absorber for Infrared Detectors Operating in the Range up to 8 µm

A HgCdTe photodiode grown by chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on a GaAs substrate operating in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) range was characterized using photoluminescence (PL) measurements. At high temperatures, the PL spectrum originates from a free-carrier emission and might be fitted by a theoretical expression being the product of the density of states and the Fermi–Dirac distribution. At low temperatures, the PL spectrum consists of multiple emission peaks that do not originate solely from the energy gap. Such spectra are not unambiguous to interpret due to the prominence of different optical transitions. Spectral response (SR) measurements were used to determine the energy gap (Eg) and extract the band-to-band transition from the PL spectra. PL peaks visible within the band gap were fitted by a Gaussian distribution. To identify the sources of individual emission peaks, excitation power dependence analysis was conducted. Band-to-band, free-to-bound, acceptor-bound exciton, and defect-bound exciton transitions were identified. At low temperatures, transitions are mainly impurity-related, with shallow impurity levels estimated to be 6 meV and 16 meV for the donor and acceptor, respectively, while deep-level impurities were associated with VHg. The latter transition with an energy of about 78 meV does not vary with temperature. Its relative positions with respect to the energy gap is 0.8 Eg at 18 K and 0.67 Eg at 80 K.

Udo Krüger Charts TechnoTeam's Journey

Udo Krüger Charts TechnoTeam's Journey

Improving Spectral Responsivity Measurements by Correcting for Filter Bandwidth

Spectral responsivity (SR) measurements are key in characterizing photovoltaic (PV) devices and calculating spectral mismatch correction factors (MMF). SR is measured using different wavelengths of monochromatic light. In practical measurement systems, this light has a finite bandwidth, meaning that it is only quasi-monochromatic. The data analysis, however, typically assumes perfectly monochromatic light. The accuracy of the calculated SR then depends not only on the actual bandwidth of the monochromatic light used during the measurement but also on the intensity distribution inside the bandwidth. In our SR measurement system, we use quasi-monochromatic light obtained from a solar simulator and a range of bandpass filters. First, we measured and analyzed the spectral content of light transmitted for each filter. Then, we developed an iterative correction scheme for the measured SR. This numerical approach assumes no previous knowledge about the SR of the device under test (DUT). Applying this scheme for bandwidth correction to a range of PV cells with varying SR curves, we found that the corrections for most wavelengths are of minor importance. However, for those wavelengths where the shape of the SR curve of the reference device and DUT differ notably, the corrections are significant up to 20% and higher. We investigated the change in the spectral MMF, which was found to be negligible in most cases but not always. Therefore, the bandwidth correction is mainly important not only for improving SR measurements of PV devices but also relevant for the determination of spectral mismatch factors.

Development of a Compact, Cost-Effective Photoacoustic Spectral Response Measurement System for Biomedical Applications

Photoacoustic spectral response (PASR) technique is a pump-probe technique that provides acoustic spectral information of any biological tissue. This extracted information acts as a signature of the biological tissue. The experimental setups can be bulky, expensive, and involve complex operation due to the requirement of costly Q-switched lasers, complex optics, and limited wavelength. On the other side, setup requires high-frequency signal conditioning, a high-speed oscilloscope, and a computing device to process, analyze, and monitor the acquired signal. This paper presents a compact, cost-effective measurement instrument to measure and display the time-domain and frequency spectral information for biomedical applications. The developed electronic hardware is used to perform real-time signal conditioning; subsequently, conditioned photoacoustic (PA) data were acquired with a speed of 30 MSPS, and the results were sent to a monitor to display. Developed hardware contains a high-frequency pre-amplifier, low-pass filter, electrically isolated trigger circuit, and a 12-bit high-speed analog-to-digital converter to generate digital data, which is further analyzed by a high-speed microcontroller. After calibration of the proposed experimental setup, the developed PA tool is applied to distinguishing lung and liver tissues, and the statistical results corroborate the consistency of the proposed PA-based data acquisition system.

HgCdTe energy gap determination from photoluminescence and spectral response measurements

HgCdTe energy gap determination from photoluminescence and spectral response measurements

Aerosol measurements at sub-percent precision using wide-field stellar photometry

Wide-field stellar photometry – the process of simultaneous comparison of apparent and catalog brightness of a large number of stars – has long been a promising method of atmospheric monitoring, as it can provide atmospheric transparency measurements with high temporal and spatial resolution without any artificial illumination of the sky which would disturb nearby optical experiments. However, only recently have we developed methods of data analysis that allow an overall uncertainty in the Vertical Aerosol Optical Depth (VAOD) better than 0.01 optical depths. Such a feat requires precise laboratory measurements of spectral and signal responses of the instruments as well as careful analysis of all systematic effects that can appear during the extraction of stellar signals from the images. We will present a summary of the method with emphasis on the reliability of the estimates of uncertainties. Furthermore, we will discuss various possible applications of the method in different modes of operation, a comparison with other methods of aerosol measurement, and a selection of open questions and areas for further improvement.

Determination of the responsivity of a predictable quantum efficient detector over a wide spectral range based on a 3D model of charge carrier recombination losses

We present a method to determine the internal quantum deficiency (IQD) of a predictable quantum efficient detector (PQED) based on measured photocurrent dependence on bias voltage and a 3D simulation model of charge carrier recombination losses. The simulation model of silicon photodiodes includes wafer doping concentration, fixed charge of SiO2 layer, bulk lifetime of charge carriers and surface recombination velocity as the fitted parameters. With only one set of physical photodiode defining parameters, the simulation shows excellent agreement with experimental data at power levels from 100 μW to 1000 μW with variation in illumination beam size. We could also predict the dependence of IQD on bias voltage at the wavelength of 476 nm using photodiode parameters determined independently at 647 nm wavelength. The fitted values of doping concentration and fixed charge extracted from the simulation model are in close agreement with the expected parameter values determined earlier. At bias voltages larger than 5 V at the wavelength of 476 nm, the internal quantum efficiency of one of the tested PQEDs is measured to be 0.999 970 ± 0.000 027, where the relative expanded uncertainty of 0.000 027 is one of the lowest values ever achieved in spectral responsivity measurement of optical detectors.

GaSbBi Metal Semiconductor Metal Detectors for Mid-Infrared Sensing

The viability of incorporating Bi and N into GaSb layers to realise photodetectors operating in the mid-infrared has been investigated. The effects of Bi and N on the cut-off wavelength of GaSb metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors has been evaluated. The spectral responsivity measurements indicate a clear wavelength extension, to 1950 nm (Bi, 2.9%), 1990 nm (Bi, 3.8%), 2080 nm (Bi, 4.5%) and 2190 nm (N, 1.5%) from a reference GaSb device at 1720 nm, with only a relatively modest reduction in the external quantum efficiency (EQE). Comparisons of spectral response characteristics indicate that Bi incorporation reduces the carrier extraction and the impact of this on future device design is considered.

Investigation of a nanostructured GaP/MoS2 p-n heterojunction photodiode

We report on the properties of a GaP/MoS2 heterojunction prepared on a nanocone (NC)-structured GaP substrate and a planar GaP substrate. The nanocone-structured GaP substrate was prepared by the growth of GaP NCs at gold seeds on a ⟨111⟩B GaP substrate at 650 °C by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. At this growth temperature, most NCs exhibited a hexagonal symmetry with six heavily facetted sides that contained numerous facets, ledges, and edges with a large surface area. A thin Mo layer was deposited on both types of GaP substrates by direct current magnetron sputtering. The Mo layer was then sulfurated at 700 °C and turned into a MoS2 layer. Electrical and optical characterization gave evidence that a PN heterojunction formed between GaP and MoS2 during the sulfuration process. The spectral response measurement showed two separate regions between 400 and 550 nm linked with the generation of carriers in GaP and between 550 and 1100 nm associated with the generation of carriers in the MoS2 layer. The planar GaP/MoS2 heterojunction generated a lower photocurrent compared with the GaP/MoS2 heterojunction that formed on the nanocone-structured GaP substrate. The results support theoretical assumptions that edge rich substrates can help to increase the quality of deposited 2D materials.

A study on passivation improvement in n-passivated emitter rear totally diffused solar cell using rapid thermal annealing

An investigation on enhanced surface passivation in the existing industrial process line of large area n-type silicon (Si) Passivated Emitter Rear Totally diffused ( n- PERT) solar cell has been performed. The Rapid Thermal Process (RTP) optimization for 20 min is conducted in the temperature range of 500–900°C and device evaluation is carried out with respect to regularly processed n-PERT solar cell. The impact of pre-metallization annealing is studied with the support of cell parameters like shunt resistance, reverse saturation current density determined from current-voltage measurements. The enhanced surface passivation via hydrogenation from silicon nitride (SiNx) layer during annealing is established with the help of external quantum efficiency, spectral response measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. The addition of optimized annealing resulted in improvement by 550% (from 38 to 247 µs), 7.73% (from 630.7 to 678.8 mV) and 84.77% (from 223.3 to 34 cm/s) in effective minority carrier lifetime, implied open circuit voltage and surface recombination velocity respectively. Finally, RTP technique for optimized process line has been successfully incorporated in industrial high-volume batch of 140898 CZ n-type Si wafers, which predicts conceptual validation of the study in mass scale production line with an increment in average efficiency of the device by 0.35%.

Modeling parasitic absorption in silicon solar cells with a near-surface absorption parameter

One drawback of passivating contacts in crystalline silicon solar cells is the current loss due to parasitic absorption within the involved material layers. When employed on an illuminated side of the cell, the full spectrum of the incident light will be partly absorbed before reaching the silicon bulk. Additionally, near-infrared (NIR) absorption can substantially reduce the cell's NIR spectral response (SR) also when employed on the non-illuminated side. As those losses are hard to measure directly, optical modeling is crucial for their quantification. This paper presents an extension to an analytical light-trapping model to account for parasitic absorption in the near-surface region via a new parameter A ppp (absorbed fraction per perpendicular pass). We test the model by analyzing i) reflectance measurements on samples with varying doping profiles, ii) SR measurements on TOPCon solar cells with varying back-side poly-silicon layers, and iii) SR measurements of a bifacial silicon heterojunction cell. We show that the model can well be calibrated by fitting a single value for A ppp to reflectance measurements. This enables a quantification of the parasitic absorption loss without requiring knowledge of all layer's optical properties. The model also is able to predict parasitic absorption in TOPCon cells when knowing the thickness and doping density of the poly-Si layer. Having proven the usefulness of A ppp to represent parasitic absorption as a single-valued quantity, we suggest A ppp as a third figure of merit for the quality of a passivating contact, next to the recombination parameter J 0c and the contact resistivity ρ c . • New parameter A ppp quantifies near-surface parasitic absorption in a c-Si solar cell. • A ppp extends an existing analytical light-trapping model. • Model can be fitted to reflectance to quantify parasitic absorption current loss. • Proposed as third figure of merit for a passivating contact besides J 0c and ρ c .