Light‐modulated lock‐in thermography for photosensitivepn‐structures and solar cells

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Abstract
Lock‐in thermography (LIT) is a well‐established tool for defect analysis of solar cells, but so far has been restricted to the measurement of metallized samples. The new light‐modulated lock‐in thermography (LimoLIT) described in this paper overcomes this restriction by generating the voltage modulation needed for detection from photovoltaic conversion of modulated light. Thus wafers can be measured during all stages of fabrication, apn‐junction provided. The contactless LimoLIT method shows a stronger measurement signal and invokes a current flow close to illuminated operating conditions of solar cells, whereas conventional LIT is only comparable to a darkI–Vmeasurement. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.