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Low-temperature fabrication of nanocrystalline silicon thin films on mechanically flexible substrates by vacuum arc discharge

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 April 2011

Jeff T.H. Tsai ,
Tsung-Ying Lin  and
Daniel H.C. Chua
Jeff T.H. Tsai*
Affiliation:
Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, Tatung University, Taipei, Taiwan
Tsung-Ying Lin
Affiliation:
Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, Tatung University, Taipei, Taiwan
Daniel H.C. Chua
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science & Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117574
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Nanocrystalline silicon thin films were fabricated using a vacuum arc discharge technique. These thin films can be deposited on plastic substrates effectively when cooled by a cryogenic substrate holder. We used single crystal silicon wafers as both the electrodes to ignite the vacuum arc and the silicon ion source to deposit thin films. This resulted in nanocrystalline silicon clusters embedded in the amorphous silicon matrix. This thin film has highly crystalline volume (≈87%), which enhanced the absorption in wide range of wavelengths. Without ion implantation, the in situ doping of p- or n-type thin films can also be achieved. This thin film deposition process has its potential for fabricating thin film transistors and photovoltaic cells on plastic substrates at fairly low production costs.

Keywords

SiCrystallineThin film
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 26 , Issue 9 , 14 May 2011 , pp. 1076 - 1080
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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