Are there Charged Dangling Bonds in Device Quality Amorphous Silicon?

1993 ◽  
Vol 297 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.S. Brandt ◽  
A. Asano ◽  
M. Stutzmann
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Dangling Bond ◽  
Spin Resonance ◽  
Resonance Data ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
Impurity Doping ◽  
Small Density ◽  
Charged Defects ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous ◽  
Absorption Measurements

We discuss the possible existence of a considerable density of charged dangling bond defects in device-quality hydrogenated amorphous silicon, which for example has been postulated by recent thermal equilibrium models for the density-of-states distribution. Based on a quantitative analysis of spin resonance and light-induced spin resonance data at different temperatures as well as on subgap absorption measurements, we conclude that intrinsic a-Si:H only has a small density of charged defects caused by unintentional impurity doping. The same conclusion also holds for light-soaked a-Si:H and for samples which are dehydrogenated by annealing at high temperatures.

Stability in Amorphous Silicon

1987 ◽  
Vol 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z E. Smith ◽  
S. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Electron Spin Resonance ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Thermal Recovery ◽  
Defect States ◽  
Spin Resonance ◽  
Resonance Data ◽  
Electron Spin Resonance Data ◽  
Gap States ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

AbstractThe experimental phenomena associated with light-induced degradation and thermal recovery of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films are reviewed, with special emphasis on the limitations of each experimental technique. When several techniques are used in concert, a fuller picture emerges. Recent experiments suggest different positions in the band-gap of the paramagnetic-associated defect states (the dangling bonds) for doped and undopedfilms; this information can be combined with conductivity, sub-bandgap optical absorption and electron spin resonance data to yield a model for the density of gap states (DOS) in a- Si:H, including how the DOS changes upon illumination and annealing.

Explanation of the Anomalously Large Defect-Optical-Absorption Energies in Doped Amorphous Silicon

1989 ◽  
Vol 149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Howard M. Branz
Keyword(s):  
Optical Absorption ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Transition Energy ◽  
Correlation Energy ◽  
Dangling Bond ◽  
Large Defect ◽  
Potential Fluctuations ◽  
Spin Resonance ◽  
P Type ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

ABSTRACTThe longstanding controversy over the anomalously large subgap optical absorption energies in n-type (1.1 eV) and p-type (1.3 eV) hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is described and resolved. Adler suggested that these large values are incompatible with a positive effective correlation energy of the dangling bond defect and a 1.7 eV bandgap. Kocka proposed that dopant-defect pairing deepens each dangling bond transition energy by about 0.5 eV in doped a-Si:H. I assume no deepening due to pairing, a positive correlation energy of 0.2 eV consistent with the observation of dark electron spin resonance in undoped a-Si:H, and dangling-bond relaxation energies of 0.2 to 0.3 eV which are indicated by previous theoretical and experimental work. The postulate of vertical optical transitions then reduces the anomaly from about 0.9 eV to 0.4 eV. This residual anomaly may be explained by electronic-level deepening in doped a-Si:H caused by disorder-induced potential fluctuations of 0.2 eV half-width.

Properties of Catalytic-Cvd Amorphous Silicon-Germanium (a-SiGe:H)

1990 ◽  
Vol 192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideki Matsumura ◽  
Masaaki Yamaguchi ◽  
Kazuo Morigaki
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Silicon Germanium ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Characteristic Energy ◽  
Optical Band Gaps ◽  
Spin Resonance ◽  
Amorphous Silicon Germanium ◽  
Conductive Properties ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

ABSTRACTHydrogenated amorphous silicon-germanium (a-SiGe:H) films are prepared by the catalytic chemical vapor deposition (Cat-CVD) method using a SiH4, GeH4 and H4 gas mixture. Properties of the films are investigated by the photo-thermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS) and electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements, in addition to the photo-conductive and structural studies. It is found that the characteristic energy of Urbach tail, ESR spin density and other photo-conductive properties of Cat-CVD a-SiGe:H films with optical band gaps around 1.45 eV are almost equivalent to those of the device quality glow discharge hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H).

The Role of Charged Defects In Current Transport Through Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Alloys

1998 ◽  
Vol 507 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.P. Lau ◽  
J.M. Shannon ◽  
B.J. Sealy ◽  
J.M. Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Silicon Nitride ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Defect Density ◽  
Current Transport ◽  
Dangling Bond ◽  
Silicon Alloys ◽  
Metal Structures ◽  
Bond State ◽  
Donor States ◽  
Charged Defects

ABSTRACTCurrent transport in metal-semiconductor-metal structures based on amorphous silicon alloys has been studied in relation to the density of dangling bond state defects. The density of defects was changed by varying alloy composition or by current stressing. We show that the change of current-voltage characteristics and activation energy with defect density and the onset of Poole-Frenkel conduction with composition require charged defects. It is found that there are more charged defects in amorphous silicon nitride (a-Si1−xNx:H) than in amorphous silicon carbide (a-Si1−xCx:H). In addition, an excess of negatively charged dangling bond defects compared to positively charged dangling bond defects is observed in a-Si1−xNx:H films. This is attributed to the presence of N4+ act as the donor states in silicon nitride. We find that the density of charged dangling bond defects can be higher than 1019cm−3.

Doping Mechanism in Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon

1997 ◽  
Vol 498 ◽  
Author(s):  
C W Chen ◽  
J Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Amorphous Carbon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Donor Atom ◽  
Dangling Bond ◽  
Coulombic Repulsion ◽  
Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon ◽  
Total Energies ◽  
Doping Mechanism ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

ABSTRACTDoping in hydrogenated amorphous silicon occurs by a process of an ionised donor atom partially compensated by a charged dangling bond. The total energies of various dopant and dopant/bonding combinations are calculated for tetrahedral amorphous carbon. It is found that charged dangling bonds are less favoured because of the stronger Coulombic repulsion in ta-C. Instead the dopants can be compensated by weak bond states in the lower gap associated with odd-membered π-rings or odd-numbered π-chains. The effect is that the doping efficiency is low but there are not charged midgap recombination centres, to reduce photoconductivity or photoluminescence with doping, as occurs in a-Si:H.

Observation of slow dangling-bond relaxation inp-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon

1995 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 2173-2179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin W. Carlen ◽  
Yueqin Xu ◽  
Richard S. Crandall
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Dangling Bond ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

Configurational Relaxation of the D Defect in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon as a Function of Fermi Energy

1992 ◽  
Vol 258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas M. Leen ◽  
Randall J. Rasmussen ◽  
J. David Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Fermi Energy ◽  
Thermal Emission ◽  
Scaling Law ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Dangling Bond ◽  
Universal Scaling ◽  
Depletion Width ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous ◽  
Optical Evidence

ABSTRACTBy using light soaking and partial dark annealing to vary the Fermi level in n-type a-Si:H, we have examined the thermal emission of electrons from the dangling bond (D) defect. We find optical evidence for a change in the configuration of the D defect when EF = Ec-0.55±0.08eV. We find that the relaxation rate increases with temperature and increases as EF is brought closer to Ec. Voltage-pulse photocapacitance and depletion-width-modulated ESR show emission is predominantly from D° defects for short emission times and short filling pulse widths. With longer emission times and longer filling pulse widths, emission from D-dominates. We also find that the charge emission transient fits a universal scaling law under a variety of pulsing conditions, temperatures, and anneal states.

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