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Electronic Properties of RF Glow Discharge Intrinsic Microcrystalline Silicon near the Amorphous Silicon Phase Boundary

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2011

James J. Gutierrez
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 U.S.A.
Adam F. Halverson
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 U.S.A.
Eric D. Tweeten
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 U.S.A.
J. David Cohen
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 U.S.A.
Baojie Yan
Affiliation:
United Solar Ovonic Corporation, 1100 W. Maple Road, Troy, MI 48084 U.S.A.
Jeffrey C. Yang
Affiliation:
United Solar Ovonic Corporation, 1100 W. Maple Road, Troy, MI 48084 U.S.A.
Subhendu Guha
Affiliation:
United Solar Ovonic Corporation, 1100 W. Maple Road, Troy, MI 48084 U.S.A.
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Abstract

The electronic properties of microcrystalline silicon have been characterized for the first time using transient photocapacitance spectroscopy (TPC) and drive-level capacitance profiling (DLCP). These methods were applied to microcrystalline films deposited by the RF glow discharge method at United Solar. The DLCP method allowed the shallow doping density to be profiled and the deep defect densities to be estimated. The TPC spectra were found to reveal that both a microcrystalline as well as an amorphous component are present in these samples. By varying the measurement temperature for these TPC spectra we were also able to directly monitor the degree of minority carrier collection in these films. Significant effects due to light soaking on the TPC spectral properties were also observed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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