The principal techniques used in the physical characterization of thin-film solar cells and materials are reviewed, these being scanning probe microscopy (SPM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), spectroscopic ellipsometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), photoluminescence and timeresolved photoluminescence (TRPL), electron-beam-induced current (EBIC) and light-beam-induced current (LBIC). For each method the particular applicability to thin-film solar cells is highlighted. Examples of the use of each are given, these being drawn from the chalcopyrite, CdTe, Si and III-V materials systems.
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