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Metastable Defects in the Amorphous Silicon-Germanium Alloys

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

J. David Cohen
J. David Cohen*
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Materials Science Institute, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403
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Abstract

This paper first briefly reviews a few of the early studies that established some of the salient features of light-induced degradation in a-Si,Ge:H. In particular, I discuss the fact that both Si and Ge metastable dangling bonds are involved. I then review some of the recent studies carried out by members of my laboratory concerning the details of degradation in the low Ge fraction alloys utilizing the modulated photocurrent method to monitor the individual changes in the Si and Ge deep defects. By relating the metastable creation and annealing behavior of these two types of defects, new insights into the fundamental properties of metastable defects have been obtained for amorphous silicon materials in general. I will conclude with a brief discussion of the microscopic mechanisms that may be responsible.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 762: Symposium A – Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Silicon-Based Films – 2003 , 2003 , A2.1
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

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