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Paramagnetic Defects and Photoluminescence in Carbon Rich a-SiC:H Films: Role of Hydrogen and Excess of Carbon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

A. V. Vasin
Affiliation:
[email protected], NASU, Lashkaryov Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Kiev 03028, N/A, Ukraine
A.A. Konchits
Affiliation:
[email protected], NASU, Laskharyov Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Kiev 03028, N/A, Ukraine
S.P. Kolesnik
Affiliation:
[email protected], NASU, Laskharyov Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Kiev 03028, N/A, Ukraine
A.V. Rusavsky
Affiliation:
[email protected], NASU, Laskharyov Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Kiev 03028, N/A, Ukraine
V.S. Lysenko
Affiliation:
[email protected], NASU, Laskharyov Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Kiev 03028, N/A, Ukraine
A.N. Nazarov
Affiliation:
[email protected], NASU, Laskharyov Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Kiev 03028, N/A, Ukraine
Y. Ishikawa
Affiliation:
[email protected], Japan Fine Ceramic Center, Atsuta-ku, Nagoya 456-858, N/A, Japan
S. Ashok
Affiliation:
[email protected], Penn State University, 212 EES Building, University Park, PA, 16802, United States
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Abstract

The effect of excess of carbon in a-Si1−xCx:H has been studied with regard to local structure reconstruction, evolution of paramagnetic defects and photoluminescence (PL) after vacuum annealing over the temperature range 300–850°C. Two series of samples with stoichiometric (Si0.5C0.5) and carbon-rich (Si0.3C0.7) compositions were studied by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR), Photoluminescence (PL) and Raman scattering. It is found that there exist two effects responsible for the PL efficiency of a-Si1-xCx:H films: “killing” effect of carbon-related paramagnetic defects and “enhancing” effect of carbon-hydrogen bonds in Si:C-Hn configuration. A microstructure model is proposed for explaining the non-monotonic behavior of integrated PL intensity and concentration of paramagnetic centers and Si:C-Hn bonds as a function of annealing temperature. This model evolves from the following principal processes during thermal treatment of a-Si1−xCx:H: thermally activated release of weakly bonded hydrogen, migration of hydrogen within material and interaction of hydrogen with carbon-related defects.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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