Home › Cell Biology › X-ray Beam Induced Current Measurements for Multi-Modal X-ray Microscopy of Solar Cells
Cell Biology JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

X-ray Beam Induced Current Measurements for Multi-Modal X-ray Microscopy of Solar Cells

DOI: 10.3791/60001-v
What you'll learn
  • ✓ Set up X-ray beam induced current (XBIC) measurement apparatus at synchrotron beamlines
  • ✓ Configure pre-amplifier and lock-in amplifier for optimal signal-to-noise ratio
  • ✓ Perform nanoscale solar cell characterization using hard X-ray microprobe techniques
Protocol

A setup for X-ray beam induced current measurements at synchrotron beamlines is described. It unveils the nanoscale performance of solar cells and extends the suite of techniques for multi-modal X-ray microscopy. From wiring to signal-to-noise optimization, it is shown how to perform state-of-the-art XBIC measurements at a hard X-ray microprobe.

Difficulty
advanced
Total time
~4–8 hours per beamline session (setup + measurements); 1–2 days for full multi-modal campaign

Steps

1
Establish measurement environment and sample stage

Mount solar cell sample on X-ray beamline stage and configure the physical measurement environment, including vacuum chamber, thermal control, and sample positioning under the synchrotron beam.

▶ 01:12
2
Configure pre-amplifier for current detection

Set up and optimize the pre-amplifier stage to convert minute photocurrents from the solar cell into measurable voltage signals with minimal noise contribution.

▶ 03:07
3
Tune lock-in amplifier synchronization settings

Configure the lock-in amplifier to synchronize with the X-ray beam modulation frequency, establishing reference phase and gain to maximize signal recovery and eliminate background noise.

▶ 04:13
4
Acquire X-ray beam induced current maps

Execute raster scan of the focused X-ray beam across the solar cell sample while recording photocurrent signals, generating nanoscale spatial maps of photocurrent generation.

▶ 05:36
5
Validate lock-in amplification improves XBIC data

Compare raw XBIC measurements against lock-in amplified data to demonstrate signal-to-noise improvements and quantify the enhancement in spatial resolution and contrast.

▶ 06:54
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