TY - JOUR
T1 - The Relation Between Precursor Gas Flows,Thickness Dependent Material Phases, andOpto-Electrical Properties of Dopeda/nc-SiOX≥0:H Films
AU - de Vrijer, Thierry
AU - Smets, Arno H.M.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Doped layers are a determining factor for the performance of
photovoltaic devices such as silicon heterojunction and thin film
silicon solar cells. The material properties of doped hydrogenated
amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon-oxide (a/nc-SiO
X≥0
:H) films processed by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition
generally exhibit a tradeoff between optical and electrical performance.
The optoelectrical properties are the result of different material
phases in these heterogeneous films, such as hydrogenated amorphous
silicon and silicon-oxide tissue, nanocrystalline silicon grains, their
corresponding fractions and extent of doping. In this article, all the
precursor gas flows are varied to achieve a wide range of doped a/nc-SiO
X≥0
:H phases. A material phase diagram is introduced to clarify the complex
interplay between processing conditions, dominant growth mechanisms,
a/nc-SiO
X≥0
:H phases, and the resulting optoelectrical properties. In addition, it
is discussed that material properties are strongly dependent on the
thickness of the films, as the mix of different material phases is not
uniform along the growth direction.
AB - Doped layers are a determining factor for the performance of
photovoltaic devices such as silicon heterojunction and thin film
silicon solar cells. The material properties of doped hydrogenated
amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon-oxide (a/nc-SiO
X≥0
:H) films processed by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition
generally exhibit a tradeoff between optical and electrical performance.
The optoelectrical properties are the result of different material
phases in these heterogeneous films, such as hydrogenated amorphous
silicon and silicon-oxide tissue, nanocrystalline silicon grains, their
corresponding fractions and extent of doping. In this article, all the
precursor gas flows are varied to achieve a wide range of doped a/nc-SiO
X≥0
:H phases. A material phase diagram is introduced to clarify the complex
interplay between processing conditions, dominant growth mechanisms,
a/nc-SiO
X≥0
:H phases, and the resulting optoelectrical properties. In addition, it
is discussed that material properties are strongly dependent on the
thickness of the films, as the mix of different material phases is not
uniform along the growth direction.
KW - Doped silicon
KW - Material growth
KW - Material phases
KW - Nanocrystalline silicon
KW - PECVD
KW - Precursor gas
KW - Silicon oxide
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85102627742&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/JPHOTOV.2021.3059940
DO - 10.1109/JPHOTOV.2021.3059940
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85102627742
SN - 2156-3381
VL - 11
SP - 591
EP - 599
JO - IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics
JF - IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics
IS - 3
M1 - 9372949
ER -