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Effect of Temperature and Temperature Uniformity on Plasma and Device Stability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

G. Ganguly ,
M.S. Bennett ,
D.E. Carlson  and
R.R. Arya
G. Ganguly
Affiliation:
BP Solar, Toano, Virginia
M.S. Bennett
Affiliation:
BP Solar, Toano, Virginia
D.E. Carlson
Affiliation:
BP Solar, Toano, Virginia
R.R. Arya
Affiliation:
BP Solar, Toano, Virginia
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Abstract

We have investigated the changes in the cathode potential in a dc discharge of silane and hydrogen used to deposit the intrinsic layer of p-i-n type solar cells at deposition rates from 1 to 10Å/s with the superstrate temperature at 200°C and 250°C. Under plasma conditions that lead to higher deposition rates (5-10Å/s), fluctuations of the cathode potential which are suggestive of the formation and de-trapping of particulates in/from the plasma, are observed at 200°C but disappear at 250°C. Improvement of the temperature uniformity over the plasma region from 1.7°C/cm to 0.7°C/cm removes the fluctuations of the cathode potential even at 200°C, indicating that the particulates are formed predominantly at the plasma boundary. Consequently, the stability of solar cells with i-layers deposited at ~10Å/s in the center of the plasma region at the same superstrate temperature improved by 26% suggesting that multiple silicon containing molecules diffuse from the edge to the center of the plasma region.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 762: Symposium A – Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Silicon-Based Films – 2003 , 2003 , A10.4
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

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