title: Depth profile analysis of amorphous silicon thin film solar cells by pulsed radiofrequency glow discharge time of flight mass spectrometry.
abstract: Among the different solar cell technologies, amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin film solar cells (TFSCs) are today very promising and, so, TFSCs analytical characterization for quality control issues is increasingly demanding. In this line, depth profile analysis of a-Si:H TFSCs on steel substrate has been investigated by using pulsed radiofrequency glow discharge-time of flight mass spectrometry (rf-PGD-TOFMS). First, to discriminate potential polyatomic interferences for several analytes (e.g., (28)Si(+), (31)P(+), and (16)O(+)) appropriate time positions along the GD pulse profile were selected. A multi-matrix calibration approach, using homogeneous certified reference materials without hydrogen as well as coated laboratory-made standards containing hydrogen, was employed for the methodological calibration. Different calibration strategies (in terms of time interval selection on the pulse profile within the afterglow region) have been compared, searching for optimal calibration graphs correlation. Results showed that reliable and fast quantitative depth profile analysis of a-Si:H TFSCs by rf-PGD-TOFMS can be achieved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Oviedo, Julian Clavería, 8 33006, Oviedo, Spain.
authors.forename: Aitor
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Toral
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menéndez
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pereiro
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sanz-Medel
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fernández