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Low-Temperature (630°C) Epitaxy of Silicon on Seeded Glass by Ion-Assisted Deposition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

Armin G. Aberle ,
Nils-Peter Harder  and
Stefan Oelting
Armin G. Aberle
Affiliation:
ANTEC Solar GmbH, Arnstaedter Strasse 22 D-99334 Rudisleben, Germany
Nils-Peter Harder
Affiliation:
ANTEC Solar GmbH, Arnstaedter Strasse 22 D-99334 Rudisleben, Germany
Stefan Oelting
Affiliation:
Photovoltaics Special Research Centre, University of New South WalesUNSW Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
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Abstract

Thin polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) films on glass are of great interest for electronic and photovoltaic applications. In this paper we report the successful realisation of thick (5 microns), large-grained (5 microns), continuous and smooth poly-Si films on glass at a temperature below 700°C. This significant technological milestone was achieved by using ion-assisted deposition (IAD) of silicon at 630°C for thickening a thin poly-Si seeding layer made on the glass at about 500°C by aluminium-induced crystallisation of amorphous silicon. Transmission electron micro-graphs reveal an epitaxial relation between about 50% of the grains of the IAD-grown layer and the seeding layer, while the remainder grew with a different orientation than the seed grains. The grain size of the IAD-grown poly-Si film is determined by the grain size of the underlying polySi seeding layer, a clear experimental proof of the “seeding layer concept”.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 664: Symposium A – Amorphous and Heterogeneous Silicon-Based Films-2001 , 2001 , A5.11
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2001

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References

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