TY - JOUR
T1 - PECVD Processing of low bandgap-energy amorphous hydrogenated germanium-tin (a-GeSn:H) films for opto-electronic applications
AU - de Vrijer, Thierry
AU - Roodenburg, Koos
AU - Saitta, Federica
AU - Blackstone, Thijs
AU - Limodio, Gianluca
AU - Smets, Arno H.M.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - An alloy based on the group IV elements germanium and tin has the potential of yielding an earth-abundant low bandgap energy semiconductor material with applications in the fields of micro-electronics, optics, photonics and photovoltaics. In this work, the first steps towards the plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) processing of a chemically stable, low bandgap energy and intrinsic GeSn:H alloy are presented. Using a tetramethyltin (TMT) precursor, over 70 PECVD processed films are presented. It was observed that the opto-electrical film properties are a result of the material phase fraction, void fraction, hydrogenation and the level of tin and carbon integration. In particular, managing the carbon integration from the TMT precursor into the material is crucial for obtaining low-bandgap and chemically stable materials. The collective findings from this work will aid in successfully identifying PECVD processing pathways for GeSn:H.
AB - An alloy based on the group IV elements germanium and tin has the potential of yielding an earth-abundant low bandgap energy semiconductor material with applications in the fields of micro-electronics, optics, photonics and photovoltaics. In this work, the first steps towards the plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) processing of a chemically stable, low bandgap energy and intrinsic GeSn:H alloy are presented. Using a tetramethyltin (TMT) precursor, over 70 PECVD processed films are presented. It was observed that the opto-electrical film properties are a result of the material phase fraction, void fraction, hydrogenation and the level of tin and carbon integration. In particular, managing the carbon integration from the TMT precursor into the material is crucial for obtaining low-bandgap and chemically stable materials. The collective findings from this work will aid in successfully identifying PECVD processing pathways for GeSn:H.
KW - Amorphous films
KW - Germanium-tin GeSn
KW - Hydrogenated germanium Ge:H
KW - Low bandgap energy
KW - Plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85126721953&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.apmt.2022.101450
DO - 10.1016/j.apmt.2022.101450
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85126721953
SN - 2352-9407
VL - 27
SP - 1
EP - 9
JO - Applied Materials Today
JF - Applied Materials Today
M1 - 101450
ER -