An investigation was made of the diffusion of P in multicrystalline Si during solar cell emitter formation by secondary ion mass spectrometry. From the experimental results, significantly increased in-grain diffusion depths were observed in areas of structural disorder that were not readily observed by the naked eye. It was believed that this effect was due to an increased concentrations of Si self-interstitials in the areas surrounding the defects, causing an enhanced transient response of elemental P diffusion. In areas adjacent to a grain boundary a slight, but notably smaller, enhancement of the P diffusion depth was observed.

The Influence of Structural Defects on Phosphorus Diffusion in Multicrystalline Silicon. A.Bentzen, B.G.Svensson, E.S.Marstein, A.Holt: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2006, 90[18-19], 3193-8