The chapter is devoted to the surface and structural characterisations of the materials
used in photovoltaic applications for the determination of the topographic/morphological and
structural properties.
In the first part of the chapter Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron
Microscopy (TEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) are illustrated,
with particular emphasis on the working principles. In the second part, some examples of application
of these techniques to the silicon-based thin films solar cells are described. Recent and important
experimental results obtained in these fields are examined and discussed, showing what kind of
information they have provided.
Keywords: Atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron
microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), surfaces, interfaces, morphology,
structural properties, amorphous thin films, amorphous metals, microcrystalline thin films,
crystalline fraction, growth processes, crystallization processes, nanostructures, semiconductors,
defects, roughness, texture, crystal size.
