REFINED RES AND AES TECHNIQUES FOR THE ANALYSIS OF THIN-FILMS USED INPHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES

The analytical potential of refined RES and AES techniques is demonstr ated by two examples: (i) thin FeSi2 absorber layers on Si and (ii) Ti -Ni-Ag multilayer contact structures. Both systems have prospects as c omponents in photovoltaic cell devices. In the case of RES, the refine ment concerns an improved mass resolution achieved by applying project ile ions of higher masses (N-15, Ne-22) at higher energies (up to 25 M eV). For AES the principal component analysis (PCA) formalism is adopt ed starting with a peak-to-peak height normalization of the relevant A uger peaks in the measured spectra. This evaluation procedure, which t akes advantage of the chemical information inherent in the Auger line shape, gives depth profiles of the elements with respect to their chem ical bonding state.