Local photoconductivity of microcrystalline silicon thin films measured by conductive atomic force microscopy

Abstract

Abstract Local currents measured under standard conductive atomic force microscopy (C‐AFM) conditions on microcrystalline silicon (µc‐Si:H) thin films were studied. It was shown that the AFM detection diode illuminating the AFM cantilever (see the figure on the right side) 100× enhanced the current flows through the photosensitive µc‐Si:H layer. The local current map and current–voltage characteristics were measured under dark conditions. This study enables mapping of both the dark current and photocurrent. magnified image C‐AFM cantilever illuminated by the detection diode during measurement on µc‐Si:H thin film. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)