Mapping of minority carrier lifetime distributions in multicrystalline silicon using transient electron-beam-induced current.

We have used transient electron-beam-induced current (EBIC) to map minority carrier lifetime distributions in multicrystalline Silicon (mc-Si). In this technique, the electron beam from a scanning transmission electron microscope was on-off modulated while the sample was scanned. The resulting transient EBIC was analyzed to form a lifetime map. An analytical function was introduced as part of the analysis in determining this map. We have verified this approach using numerical simulations and have reproduced a lifetime map for an mc-Si wafer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]