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Growth and Electronic Properties in Hot Wire Deposited Nanocrystalline Si Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Kamal Muthukrishnan ,
Vikram Dalal  and
Max Noack
Kamal Muthukrishnan
Affiliation:
[email protected], Iowa State University, Electrical and Computer Engr., Coover Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, United States
Vikram Dalal
Affiliation:
[email protected], Iowa State University, Electrical and Computer Engr., Coover Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, United States, 5152941077, 515 294 9584
Max Noack
Affiliation:
[email protected], Iowa State University, Microelectronics Res. Ctr., 1925 Scholl Rd, Ames, IA, 50011, United States
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Abstract

We report on the growth and properties of nanocrystalline Si:H grown using a remote hot wire deposition system. Unlike previous results, the temperature of the substrate is not significantly affected by the hot filament in our system. The crystallinity of the growing film and the type of grain structure was systematically varied by changing the filament temperature and the degree of hydrogen dilution. It was found that high hydrogen dilution gave rise to random nucleation and <111> grain growth, whereas lower hydrogen dilution led to preferable growth of <220> grains. Similarly, a high filament temperature gave rise to preferential <111> growth compared to lower filament temperature. The electronic properties such as defect density and minority carrier diffusion length were studied as a function of the degree of crystallinity. It was found that the lowest defect density was obtained for a material which had an intermediate range of crystallnity, as determined from the Raman spectrum. Both highly amorphous and highly crystalline materials gave higher defect densities. The diffusion lengths were measured using a quantum efficiency technique, and were found to be the highest for the mid-range crystalline material. The results suggest that having an amorphous tissue surrounding the crystalline grain helps in passivating the grain boundaries.

Keywords

photovoltaicSielectronic material
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 989: Symposium A – Amorphous and Polycrystalline Thin-Film Silicon Science and Technology-2007 , 2007 , 0989-A21-06
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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