The Study on Microstructure by NMR, FTIR, Raman, Conductivity and Optical Bandgap in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Prepared by Novel Fabrication Methods

1992 ◽  
Vol 258 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. Hsu ◽  
H. Chang ◽  
C. S. Hong ◽  
H. L. Hwang
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Atom ◽  
Substrate Temperature ◽  
Silicon Film ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Optical Bandgap ◽  
Degree Of Crystallinity ◽  
Hydrogen Treatment ◽  
Compact Structure ◽  
Hydrogen Incorporation ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution

ABSTRACTIt was found that hydrogen dilution in the SiH4/H2 mixture tend to show a sharp line-shape in the NMR spectra as the substrate temperature is higher than 300 °C. The hydrogen-atom-treatment method also produces the same effect at a lower substrate temperature about 250°C. The Raman scattering spectra show that the hydrogen-atom-treatment creates the microcrystalline structure at a temperature higher than 250°C while hydrogen dilution produces mixed phases containing amorphous phase and a small quantity of micro-crystalline phase. Together with the optical bandgap narrowing, the increase of the dark conductivity and the reduction of photo-to-dark conductivity ratio, these samples indicate that with more hydrogen incorporation during deposition and plasma hydrogen treatment, these films possess a much compact structure, and the degree of crystallinity of hydrogenated silicon film was found to be systematically changed.

Solar-Cell Suitable μc-Si Films Grown by ECR-CVD

2000 ◽  
Vol 609 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Birkholz ◽  
E. Conrad ◽  
K. Lips ◽  
B. Selle ◽  
I. Sieber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Film Growth ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Film Deposition ◽  
Degree Of Crystallinity ◽  
High Hydrogen ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Impurity Contamination ◽  
Si Films ◽  
High Degree

ABSTRACTThe preparation of μc-Si films from SiH4-H2 mixtures by electron-cyclotron resonance (ECR) CVD at deposition temperatures ≤ 400°C on foreign substrates is reported. Deposition conditions were identified for which Si films with a high degree of crystallinity were grown as was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. A factorial analysis was carried out, for which the influence of deposition temperature, microwave power, hydrogen dilution and total pressure on film growth were investigated. Samples of optimized crystallinity were prepared in a lowpressure and high-hydrogen dilution regime. In-plane grain sizes were measured by TEM and found to be on the order of 10 - 12 nm. Next to the optimization of crystallinity several sources of impurity contamination during film deposition were identified and eliminated. Intrinsic μc-Si layers could be prepared under these conditions that exhibited a dark conductivity σd of 2 × 10-7 S/cm and photosensitivity σph/σd of 150. It is concluded that ECR CVD is capable of producing intrinsic layers with electronic properties as necessary for use in state-of-the-art n-i-p μc-Si solar cells.

Effects of Diluted-Hydrogen and Hydrogen-Atom-Treatment on the Silicon-Hydrogen Bonding Configurations of Hydrogenated Silicon Films

1992 ◽  
Vol 283 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. Hsu ◽  
H. Chang ◽  
H. L. Hwang
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Bonding ◽  
Hydrogen Atom ◽  
Atomic Hydrogen ◽  
Nmr Spectra ◽  
Silicon Films ◽  
Degree Of Crystallinity ◽  
Hydrogen Treatment ◽  
Hydrogenated Silicon ◽  
Bonding Configuration ◽  
Raman Scattering Spectra

ABSTRACTThe silicon—hydrogen bonding configuration studies of hydrogenated silicon films that were fabricated by diluted—hydrogen and hydrogen—atom—treatment methods are presented. The diluted—hydrogen samples tend to show a very sharp line—shape in the NMR spectra as the H2/SiH4 dilution ratio is increased and/or temperature is elevated. The addition of atomic hydrogen treatment can produce the same NMR spectra at a temperature lower than 200°C. The Raman scattering spectra show that the μc—Si phase can be formed by the atomic hydrogen treatment. The infrared absorption spectra also indicate an increase of SiH2 bonding configuration and a hydrogen content reduction when atomic hydrogen treatment is employed. These results suggest that the degree of crystallinity of hydrogenated silicon films can be systematically adjusted.

Characterization of Microcrystalline Transition from Amorphous Silicon as a Function of Hydrogen Dilution and Substrate Temperature of Hot-wire CVD

2002 ◽  
Vol 715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keda Wang ◽  
Haoyue Zhang ◽  
Jian Zhang ◽  
Jessica M. Owens ◽  
Jennifer Weinberg-Wolf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substrate Temperature ◽  
Sudden Change ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Threshold Value ◽  
Ir Absorption ◽  
Sudden Increase ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Integral Absorption ◽  
Two Peaks

Abstracta-Si:H films were prepared by hot wire chemical vapor deposition. One group was deposited at a substrate temperature of Ts=250°C with varied hydrogen-dilution ratio, 0<R<10; the other group was deposited with fixed R=3 but a varied Ts from 150 to 550°C. IR, Raman and PL spectra were studied. The Raman results indicate that there is a threshold value for the microstructure transition from a- to μc-Si. The threshold is found to be R ≈ 2 at Ts = 250°C and Ts ≈ 200°C at R=3. The IR absorption of Si-H at 640 cm-1 was used to calculate the hydrogen content, CH. CH decreased monotonically when either R or Ts increased. The Si-H stretching mode contains two peaks at 2000 and 2090 cm-1. The ratio of the integral absorption peaks I2090/(I2090+I2090) showed a sudden increase at the threshold of microcrystallinity. At the same threshold, the PL features also indicate a sudden change from a- to μc-Si., i.e. the low energy PL band becomes dominant and the PL total intensity decreases. We attribute the above IR and PL changes to the contribution of microcrystallinity, especially the c-Si gain-boundaries.

Hot-Wire CVD Poly-Silicon Films for Thin Film Devices

1998 ◽  
Vol 507 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.K. Rath ◽  
F.D. Tichelaar ◽  
H. Meiling ◽  
R.E.I. Schropp
Keyword(s):  
Defect Density ◽  
Initial Growth ◽  
Oriented Growth ◽  
Compact Structure ◽  
High Hydrogen ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Intrinsic Nature ◽  
Bias Stress ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Long Duration

ABSTRACTSolar cell using profiled poly-Si:H by HWCVD as i-layer in the configuration SS/n-µSi:H(PECVD)/i-poly-Si:H(HWCVD)/p-µc-Si:H(PECVD)/ITO showed 3.7% efficiency. A current of 23.6 mA/cm2 was generated in only 1.5 µm thick poly-Si:H i-layer grown at ∼5Å/s. TFTs made with the poly-Si:H films (grown at ≥ 9Å/s) exhibited remarkable stability to long duration of 23 hours of gate bias stress of ∼lMV/cm. A saturation mobility of 1.5 cm2/Vs for the TFT has been achieved. Films made at low hydrogen dilution (Poly2) showed device quality (purely intrinsic nature, ambipolar diffusion length of 568 nm, only (220) oriented growth and low ESR defect density of <1017/cm3with complete absence of signal due to conduction electrons) but with an incubation phase of amorphous initial growth, whereas the films made at high hydrogen dilution (Polyl) had a polycrystalline initial growth, though with higher defect density, incorporated oxygen and randomly oriented grains. Poly2 films are compact and hydrogen bonding is at compact Si-H sites manifested as 2000 cm−1IR vibration and high temperature hydrogen evolution peak. Exchange interaction of spins and spin pairing are observed while increasing defects in such a compact structure. A new approach has been used to integrate these two regimes of growth to make profiled poly-Si:H layers. The new layers show good electronic properties as well as complete elimination of incubation phase.

Amorphous Silicon Selenium Alloy Film Deposited Under Hydrogen Dilution

1991 ◽  
Vol 219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muzhi He ◽  
Guang H. Lin ◽  
J. O'M. Bockris
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Selenium Concentration ◽  
Alloy Film ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Flow Rate Ratio ◽  
Selenium Atom ◽  
Alloy Films ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Photo Response

ABSTRACTAmorphous silicon selenium alloy films were prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition with hydrogen dilution. The flow rate ratio of hydrogen to silane was about 8:1. Amorphous silicon selenium alloy was found to have an optical bandgap ranging from 1.7 eV to 2.0 eV depending on the selenium concentration in the films. The light to dark conductivity ratios of the alloy films are ∼ 104. The optical and electrical properties, Urbach tail energy and sub-bandgap photo response spectroscopy of the alloy film were investigated. The film quality of the alloy deposited with hydrogen dilution is greatly improved comparing to that of the alloy film deposited without hydrogen dilution. The electron spin resonance experiment shows that selenium atom is a good dangling bond terminator.

Intrinsic and Doped m c-Si:H TFT Layers using 13.56 MHz PECVD at 250°C

2004 ◽  
Vol 808 ◽  
Author(s):  
Czang-Ho Lee ◽  
Denis Striakhilev ◽  
Arokia Nathan
Keyword(s):  
Performance Improvement ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Rf Power ◽  
Crystalline Volume Fraction ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon ◽  
Bias Stress ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Low Threshold

ABSTRACTUndoped and n+ hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) films for thin film transistors (TFTs) were deposited at a temperature of 250°C with 99 ∼ 99.6 % hydrogen dilution of silane by standard 13.56 MHz plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). High crystallinity m c-Si:H films were achieved at 99.6 % hydrogen dilution and at low rf power. An undoped 80 nm thick m c-Si:H film showed a dark conductivity of the order of 10−7 S/cm, the photosensitivity of an order of 102, and a crystalline volume fraction of 80 %. However, a 60 nm thick n+ μc-Si:H film deposited using a seed layer showed a high dark conductivity of 35 S/cm and a crystalline volume fraction of 60 %. Using n+ μc-Si:H films as drain and source contact layers in a-Si:H TFTs provides substantial performance improvement over n+ a-Si:H contacts. Finally, fully μ c-Si:H TFTs incorporating intrinsic m c-Si:H films as channel layers and n+ μc-Si:H films as contact layers have been fabricated and characterized. These TFTs exhibit a low threshold voltage and a field effect mobility of 0.85 cm2/Vs, and are far more stable under gate bias stress than a-Si:H TFTs.

Research on Nanocrystalline Silicon Film Solar Cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 347-353 ◽  
pp. 870-873
Author(s):  
Chun Rong Xue
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Band Gap ◽  
Optical Band Gap ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Silicon Film ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Processing Parameters ◽  
Crystalline Volume Fraction ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution

Nanocrystalline silicon film has become the research hit of today’ s P-V solar technology. It’s optical band gap was controlled through changing the grain size and crystalline volume fraction for the quanta dimension effect. The crystalline volume fraction in nc-Si:H is modulated by varying the hydrogen concentration in the silane plasma. Also, the crystallinity of the material increases with increasing hydrogen dilution ratio, the band tail energy width of the nc-Si:H concurrently decreases. Two sets of nc-Si:H solar cells were made with different layer thicknesss, their electronic and photonic bandgap, absorption coefficient, optical band gap, nanocrystalline grain size(D), and etc have been stuied. In addition, we discussed the relationship between the stress of nc-Si thin films and H2 ratio. At last nc-Si:H solar cells have been designed and prepared successfully in the optimized processing parameters.

Raman Characterization of Protocrystalline Silicon Films

2009 ◽  
Vol 1153 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Syllaios ◽  
S. K. Ajmera ◽  
G. S. Tyber ◽  
C. L. Littler ◽  
R. E. Hollingworth
Keyword(s):  
Substrate Temperature ◽  
Dopant Concentration ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Spectral Peaks ◽  
And Performance ◽  
And Shifts ◽  
P Type ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous ◽  
Raman Spectral

AbstractAn increasingly important application of thin film hydrogenated amorphous silicon (α-Si:H) is in infrared detection for microbolometer thermal imaging arrays. Such arrays consist of thin α-Si:H films that are integrated into a floating thermally isolated membrane structure. Among the α-Si:H material properties affecting the design and performance of microbolometers is the microstructure. In this work, Raman spectroscopy is used to study changes in the microstructure of protocrystalline p-type α-Si:H films grown by PECVD as substrate temperature, dopant concentration, and hydrogen dilution are varied. The films exhibit the four Raman spectral peaks corresponding to the TO, LO, LA, and TA modes. It is found that the TO Raman peak becomes increasingly well defined (decreasing line width and increasing intensity), and shifts towards the crystalline TO energy as substrate temperature is increased, H dilution of the reactants is increased, or as dopant concentration is decreased.

DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHLY CONDUCTIVE BORON-DOPED MICROCRYSTALLINE SILICON FILMS FOR APPLICATION IN SOLAR CELLS

2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (03) ◽  
pp. 303-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
QING-SONG LEI ◽  
ZHI-MENG WU ◽  
JIAN-PING XI ◽  
XIN-HUA GENG ◽  
YING ZHAO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Substrate Temperature ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Silicon Films ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon ◽  
Very High Frequency ◽  
Boron Doped ◽  
Deposition Processes ◽  
P Type

We have examined the deposition of highly conductive boron-doped microcrystalline silicon (μc- Si:H ) films for application in solar cells. Depositions were conducted in a very high frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (VHF PECVD) chamber. In the deposition processes, various substrate temperatures (TS) were applied. Highly conductive p-type microcrystalline silicon films were obtained at substrate temperature lower than 210°C. The factors that affect the conductivity of the films were investigated. Results suggest that the dark conductivity, which was determined by the Hall mobility and carrier concentration, is influenced by the structure. The properties of the films are strongly dependent on the substrate temperature. With TS increasing, the dark conductivity (σd) increases initially; reach the maximum values at certain TS and then decrease. Also, we applied the boron-doped μc- Si:H as p-layers to the solar cells. An efficiency of about 8.5% for a solar cell with μc- Si:H p-layer was obtained.

Correlation between film and cell properties for DC plasma deposited amorphous silicon

2001 ◽  
Vol 664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Heath ◽  
Suman B. Iyer ◽  
Yoram Lubianiker ◽  
J. David Cohen ◽  
Gautam Ganguly
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Defect Density ◽  
Silicon Film ◽  
Device Performance ◽  
Solar Cell Device ◽  
Film Properties ◽  
Dc Plasma ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Photocurrent Spectroscopy

ABSTRACTWe have carried out measurements to try to correlate amorphous silicon film properties with companion solar cell device performance. The dc plasma deposited intrinsic films were prepared with various hydrogen dilution levels, and increasing power levels to increase growth rate. The electronic properties were determined using admittance spectroscopy and drive-level capacitance profiling (DLCP) techniques as well as transient photocapacitance and photocurrent spectroscopy. Cell and film performance were explored in both as-grown and light-soaked states. We observed that, although cell performance decreased systematiclly with increasing growth rate, it depended on factors other than the deep defect density in the matched films. On the other hand, we did observe that increases in defect density caused by the light-induced degradation led to fairly predictable decreases in the cell fill factors.

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