A novel microwave absorption and dielectric spectrum detection technology in photoelectron dynamic study for solar cells

The photoelectron property is directly related to the light-energy conversion efficiency of solar cells. In this paper, the photoelectron dynamic of semiconductor was analyzed. The diffusion of electrons has influence on the dielectric function of the solar cell material. And the amplitude variance of the imaginary and real part of the dielectric function is in direct proportion to the dynamic process of free and shallow-trapped electrons. Based on the untouched detection technique, the method is present to detect the amplitude change of the microwave signal which is passing through the material whose dielectric function changes after exposure. A 35 GHz oscillator was used as a microwave source. The absorption and dispersion microwave signals, which contain the dynamic information of free and shallow-trapped electron signal, are split respectively with phase-sensitive instrument. The photoelectron character of n-type Si(100) thin film was investigated by the novel equipment, and the lifetime of different kinds of electrons with the resolution of 1 ns was obtained. The equipment can be directly used in the study of the optoelectronic conversion mechanism of solar cells.