Explore the vast range of titles available.

Small voids in the absorber layer of thin‐film solar cells are generally suspected to impair photovoltaic performance. They have been studied on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 cells with conventional laboratory techniques, albeit limited to surface characterization and often affected by sample‐preparation artifacts. Here, synchrotron imaging is performed on a fully operational as‐deposited solar cell containing a few tens of voids. By measuring operando current and X‐ray excited optical luminescence, the local electrical and optical performance in the proximity of the voids are estimated, and via ptychographic tomography, the depth in the absorber of the voids is quantified. Besides, the complex network of material‐deficit structures between the absorber and the top electrode is highlighted. Despite certain local impairments, the massive presence of voids in the absorber suggests they only have a limited detrimental impact on performance. 3D X‐ray microscopy quantifies the distribution of voids in thin‐film solar cells and associated electrical performance deficits.

Breakthroughs in battery research are imperative to provide society with batteries that are safe and sustainable, have a high energy density, and have a long cycle life at low cost. Recent advances in research methodologies, the emergence of new market opportunities, and strategic funding schemes have allowed not only large, but also small companies, universities, and public research organizations to play an increasingly significant role in the advancement of battery technology. Challenges in battery technology development are multifaceted; therefore, a collaborative approach is crucial to bring together various stakeholders and ensure access to the full range of technical and scientific expertise. To grasp the core properties of electrode materials, electrolytes, and interfaces and to identify the mechanisms of battery degradation and failure, a multidisciplinary analytical approach is crucial. This strategy relies on the unique and complementary potential of advanced characterization techniques available at synchrotron and x-ray free electron laser facilities. Science-to-industry interactions are expected to increase the development of new standardized setups to approach realistic operando conditions. Therefore, rapid access to instruments, including high-throughput ex-situ , in-situ and operando capabilities, is key to accelerating the development of safe and sustainable batteries. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the characterization needs of the battery community can be met by establishing a collaboration network based on a meta-infrastructure model, where the emphasis will be on collaboration and the sharing of experience and data. The proposed methodology considers the urgency in the battery community and the necessary technical developments to reach the scope of collaboration and focuses in particular on the needs for standardization, big data challenges, and open data approaches.

4H Silicon Carbide (4H-SiC) combines many attractive properties such as a high carrier mobility, a wide bandgap, and a high thermal conductivity, making it an ideal candidate for high-power electronic devices. However, a primary challenge in utilizing 4H-SiC is the presence of defects in epitaxial layers, which can significantly degrade device performance. In this study, we have used X-ray transmission topography with a rocking curve imaging technique to characterize the types and distribution of defects in 4H-SiC. Gaussian fitting was applied to the rocking curves, and the resulting maps were used to investigate dislocations in 4H-SiC. Understanding the distribution of the dislocations provides valuable insights into the overall crystal quality, which can guide improvements for the fabrication processes.

Inhomogeneities and defects often limit the overall performance of thin-film solar cells. Therefore, sophisticated microscopy approaches are sought to characterize performance and defects at the nanoscale. Here, we demonstrate, for the first time, the simultaneous assessment of composition, structure, and performance in four-fold multi-modality. Using scanning X-ray microscopy of a Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cell, we measured the elemental distribution of the key absorber elements, the electrical and optical response, and the phase shift of the coherent X-rays with nanoscale resolution. We found structural features in the absorber layer—interpreted as voids—that correlate with poor electrical performance and point towards defects that limit the overall solar cell efficiency.

In the original version of our article [...]

The efficiency of thin-film solar cells with a Cu( In 1 − x Ga x )Se 2 absorber is limited by nanoscopic inhomogeneities and defects. Traditional characterization methods are challenged by the multi-scale evaluation of the performance at defects that are buried in the device structures. Multi-modal x-ray microscopy offers a unique tool-set to probe the performance in fully assembled solar cells, and to correlate the performance with composition down to the micro- and nanoscale. We applied this approach to the mapping of temperature-dependent recombination for Cu( In 1 − x Ga x )Se 2 solar cells with different absorber grain sizes, evaluating the same areas from room temperature to 100 ° C . It was found that poor performing areas in the large-grain sample are correlated with a Cu-deficient phase, whereas defects in the small-grain sample are not correlated with the distribution of Cu. In both samples, classes of recombination sites were identified, where defects were activated or annihilated by temperature. More generally, the methodology of combined operando and in situ x-ray microscopy was established at the physical limit of spatial resolution given by the device itself. As proof-of-principle, the measurement of nanoscopic current generation in a solar cell is demonstrated with applied bias voltage and bias light.

In the original version of our article [...].

Inhomogeneities and defects often limit the overall performance of thin-film solar cells. Therefore, sophisticated microscopy approaches are sought to characterize performance and defects at the nanoscale. Here, we demonstrate, for the first time, the simultaneous assessment of composition, structure, and performance in four-fold multi-modality. Using scanning X-ray microscopy of a Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cell, we measured the elemental distribution of the key absorber elements, the electrical and optical response, and the phase shift of the coherent X-rays with nanoscale resolution. We found structural features in the absorber layer-interpreted as voids-that correlate with poor electrical performance and point towards defects that limit the overall solar cell efficiency.

Life science and X-ray science are quite different fields, and researchers from these two disciplines almost speak different languages. [...]cell biologists pose very specific wishes that can be particularly challenging for the analytical X-ray scientist: statistical analysis on large numbers of cells, comparison of cells cultured under different conditions or at different exposure times, imaging of one specific biological event or feature, quantitative comparison of specific cell regions, and so forth. Ideally, nanoanalytical scientists can provide expertise in sample preparation before, guidance during, and data analysis after the synchrotron experiment. Because synchrotron radiation-based metal imaging is still uncharted territory in many fields of life science, results are often \"a first,\" and interpreting should be done with great care. The following considerations suggest that there is a Bi deficiency, concentrated in the ceramic zones producing the anomalous spectra: 1) The spatial coincidence of the high-intensity zone of the Ti-signal with the Bi-signal low intensity suggests a slight deficiency of Bi atoms in that zone. [...]as Bi is the heaviest absorbent element in the ceramic, the matrix's self-absorption is lower at these points and then the Ti-signal is higher; and 2) the refinement index in the fitting of the XRD high-resolution pattern (not presented here) was consistent with the occupation values obtained by considering vacancies in the perovskite A sites. [...]with photon-efficient X-ray focusing, scanning X-ray microscopy will not be limited to the modalities mentioned here, but it will be expanded by a variety of measurement modes that are performed today with limited spatial information.