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Optical and Electronic Characterization of a-SiGe:H Thin Films Prepared by a Novel Hollow Cathode Deposition Technique

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2011

R. J. Soukup ,
N. J. Ianno ,
Scott A. Darveau  and
Christopher L. Exstrom
R. J. Soukup
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0511, USA
N. J. Ianno
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588-0511, USA
Scott A. Darveau
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, NE 68849-1150, USA
Christopher L. Exstrom
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, NE 68849-1150, USA
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Abstract

Using a novel hollow cathode plasma-jet reactive sputtering system in which an intense plasma, ignited in an Ar/H2 flow, is directed through silicon and germanium nozzles, a series of a-SiGe:H thin films have been prepared on silicon and glass substrates. These films have been optically characterized by infrared (IR) spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry (335-1000nm). Total hydrogen concentrations, as determined by FTIR, varied with deposition conditions and ranged from 2.5 × 1021 to 1.6 × 1022 atom cm−3 and correlated with secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) elemental analyses to within 10%. Conductivity measurements in the dark and under simulated AM1 solar illumination have indicated that the films properties are very good. The light to dark conductivity ratio has consistently been greater than 1000 for films with band gaps down to 1.3 eV.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 808: Symposium A – Amorphous and Nanocrystaline Silicon Science and Technology-2004 , 2004 , A9.4
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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