SQUID microscopy of magnetic field induced in solar cell by laser spot irradiation

A solar cell with surface stripe electrodes was investigated by laser–superconducting quantum interference device microscopy (laser-SQUID microscopy) using two scan methods: the standard method and our new approach. In the standard method, the sample was raster scanned while the positions of the laser irradiation spot and the SQUID were fixed. The resulting magnetic images reflected some defects related to the grain boundaries on the solar cell. Background contrast fluctuations also exist in the images. For a better understanding of these fluctuations, we developed a method to investigate the photocurrent distributions on the solar cell around the laser spot. In this method, the sample was raster scanned with the laser spot fixed to a certain position by means of an optical fiber. We converted the magnetic images of the sample to photocurrent images. The results showed that the anisotropic photocurrent mainly flowed along the electrode near the laser spot rather than in the area around the spot. Therefore, the arrangement of the surface stripe electrodes affected the magnetic images obtained by the standard method in laser-SQUID microscopy.