Silicon deposited on glass or silicon carbide is widely used in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells. The ratio and distribution of amorphous and crystalline silicon are absolutely crucial for their efficiency, and therefore it is also necessary to have a reliable method for their analysis.
The ideal technique for this type of measurement is Raman spectroscopy, as crystalline and amorphous silicon have very easily distinguishable spectra at first glance, so its use is quite straightforward. In addition, quantitative measurements can be performed using Lamert-Beer's law. However, since there is a risk that amorphous silicon will be transformed into crystalline silicon if excessive laser power is used, its power must be regulated: the Nicolet DXR3 Raman microscope, whose laser can be easily adjusted to the desired value, can be used to do this.
In addition to spot measurement of individual spectra, the Nicolet DXR3 and DXR3ximicroscopes offer the possibility of chemical mapping, which allows you to analyze the distribution of individual components of the sample. Thus you can get not only information about their distribution, but also about their quantitative representation.
