Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T21:38:59.832Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An Examination of H Effusion in a-Si:H Using Infrared Spectroscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 1993

A.H. Mahan
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd, Golden , CO 80401, USA
E.J. Johnson
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd, Golden , CO 80401, USA
J.D. Webb
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd, Golden , CO 80401, USA
Get access

Abstract

We present the results of H diffusion studies on glow discharge (GD) and hot wire (HW) deposited a-Si:H films studied by infrared (IR) spectroscopy. In this technique, a-Si:H films deposited on crystalline silicon are annealed isochronally for fixed times, and after each anneal the decrease in the amount of SiH infrared absorption is carefully measured. We then incorporate these data into the rate equation for loss of SiH bonds due to annealing, enabling the determination of an activation energy to break these bonds and place the H in a site that cannot be measured by IR. The activation energies for device quality GD films are similar to those found in the a-Si:H diffusion literature, suggesting that diffusion parameters can be measured by this method. On the other hand, a similar analysis of data for HW films containing similar H contents is not clear cut. GD and HW samples with lower H content, deposited at higher Ts, are also examined. We discuss these results in the context of film microstructure.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Paduschek, P., Hopfl, Ch. and Mitlehner, H., Thin Solid Films 110, 291 (1983).Google Scholar
2. Beyer, W. in Tetrahedrallv Bonded Amorphous Semiconductors, edited by Adler, D. and Fritzsche, H. (Plenum, NY, 1985) p. 129.Google Scholar
3. Beyer, W. and Wagner, H.,J. Appl. Phys. 53, 8745 (1982).Google Scholar
4. Carlson, D. E. and Magee, C. W., Appl. Phys. Lett. 33, 81 (1978).Google Scholar
5. Zellama, K., Germain, P., Squelard, S., Bourdon, B., Fontenille, J., and Danielou, R., Phys. Rev. B23, 6648(1981).Google Scholar
6. Branz, H. M., Asher, S. E. and Nelson, B. P., Phys. Rev. B47, 7061 (1993).Google Scholar
7. Mahan, A. H., Carapella, J., Nelson, B. P., Crandall, R. S., and Balberg, I., J. Appl. Phys. 69,6728 (1991).Google Scholar
8. Mahan, A. H., Nelson, B. P., Salamon, S., and Crandall, R. S., MRS Symp. Proc. 219(Anaheim, CA, 1991), p. 673.Google Scholar
9. Crandall, R. S., Mahan, A. H., Nelson, B. P., Vanacek, M., and Balberg, I., Proc. 6th Intl.Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conf. (New Delhi, India, 1992), p. 879.Google Scholar
10. Abelson, J. R., private communication.Google Scholar
11. Carlos, W. E. and Taylor, P. C., Phys. Rev. B26, 3605 (1982).Google Scholar
12. Crandall, R. S., private communication.Google Scholar
13. Beyer, W., private communication.Google Scholar
14.Although H evolution measurements were made on selected HW samples, a film thickness series could not supplied to enable meaningful measurements of sample diffusion parameters.Google Scholar
15. Mahan, A. H., Chen, Y., Williamson, D. L. andMooney, G. D., J. non-Cryst. Solids 137 & 138, 65 (1991). See also Williamson, D. L., Jones, S. J. and Chen, Y., NREL Annual Technical Report XG-1-10063-3(1992).Google Scholar
16. Vanecek, M., Mahan, A. H., Nelson, B. P. and Crandall, R. S., Proc. 11th European PV Solar Energy Conf. (Montreaux, Switz., 1992), in press.Google Scholar