Calibration of Minority Carrier Lifetimes Measured with an ac Photovoltaic Method

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Abstract
Calibration curves for estimating true lifetimes from the measured ones are theoretically obtained for getting the long lifetimes of relatively thin Si wafers, where lifetimes measured with an ac photovoltaic method are limited by the sample thickness. Apparent lifetimes of 7.2 through 14 µs in 475 µm thick p-type Si wafers are calibrated to be 9.6 through 65µs, respectively, using the calibration curves. As a result, it is found that lifetimes in the samples oxidized after dipping in HF solution are longer than those oxidized without dipping in HF solution. This is because contaminated natural oxide films on the sample, which are formed by alkaline rinse, are eliminated by the HF dipping.