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Influence of the Grain Boundary Band Offset on Charge Transport Mechanism in Microcrystalline Silicon Analysed by Numerical Simulation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

Alessandro Fantoni ,
Manuela Vieira  and
Reinhard Schwarz
Alessandro Fantoni
Affiliation:
ISEL, R. Conselheiro Emídio Navarro, 1900 Lisboa, Portugal FCT-UNL, Quinta da Torre, 2825 Monte de Caparica, Portugal
Reinhard Schwarz
Affiliation:
ISEL, R. Conselheiro Emídio Navarro, 1900 Lisboa, Portugal
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Abstract

Microcrystalline silicon is a two-phase material composed of grains of crystalline silicon embedded in an amorphous silicon tissue. The boundary regions between the crystalline grains and the amorphous matrix are treated similarly to a heterojunction interface.The band offset at the grain boundaries causes the appearance of local electric field peaks, variables in intensity and direction. We present results obtained with two dimensional simulations of a μc-Si:H p-i-n junction in short circuit condition. Charge transport mechanism is described by the internal electric configuration assumed by the junction in thermodynamic equilibrium and illuminated with monochromatic radiations. Different configurations of the band offset at the grain boundaries are also considered and related to the transport properties in microcrystalline silicon

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 609: Symposium A – Amorphous & Heterogeneous Silicon Thin Films – 2000 , 2000 , A27.2
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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References

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