Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-l4dxg Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-28T23:37:44.089Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Comments on the Determination of Defect Density in a-Si:H Alloys by Integrating the Sub-Bandgap Optical Absorption Coefficient

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

Y.-M. Li  and
W. Paul
Y.-M. Li
Affiliation:
Solarex Corporation, Thin Film Division, 826 Newtown-Yardley Road, Newtown, PA, 18940
W. Paul
Affiliation:
Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138
Get access

Abstract

The validity of determining the defect density in a-Si:H and its alloys by integrating the sub-bandgap optical absorption coefficient is examined. It is shown that a formula derived for estimating Si-H bond density has been incorrectly applied to defect related absorption. In addition, the complex defect absorption processes have been oversimplified, by assumption, to the case of a single type of transition. Further, in practice, the defect absorption spectrum can not be unambiguously obtained at energies near and above the low end of the optical absorption edge. It is concluded that die integration method for quantitative defect density determination should be viewed at best as an empirical practice with considerable arbitrariness.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 219: Symposium A – Amorphous Silicon Technology - 1991 , 1991 , 587
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Jackson, W.B. and Amer, N.M., Phys. Rev. B 25., 5559 (1982). For a later discussion of more details, seeCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Amer, N.M. and Jackson, W.B. in SEMICONDUCTORS & SEMIMETALS Vol. 21 Part B., p. 83, edited by Pankove, J.I., Academic Press, Orlando (1984).Google Scholar
2. Moddel, G.R., Anderson, D.A., and Paul, W., Phys. Rev. B 22, 1918 (1980).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Vanecek, M., Kocka, J., Stuchlik, J., and Triska, A., Solid State Commun. 39, 1199 (1981);CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vanecek, M., Kocka, J., Stuchlik, J., Kozdsek, Z., Stika, O., and Triska, A., Solar Energy Mat. 8 411(1983).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Boccara, A.C., Founder, D., Jackson, W.B., and Amer, N.M., Optics Lett. 5 377 (1980);CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, W.B., Amer, N.M., Boccara, A.C., and Founder, D., Applied Optics 20., 1333 (1981).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5. See e.g., Boulitrop, F. Proust, N., Magarino, J., Criton, E., Peray, J.F., and Dupre, M., J. Appl. Phys. 58, 3494 (1985);CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, Z.E., Chu, V., Shepard, K., Aljishi, S., Slobodin, D., Kolodzey, J., and Wagner, S., Appl. Phys. Lett. 50, 1521 (1987);CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Curtins, H. and Favre, M., p. 329 in Amorphous Si and Related Materials Vol. A, edited by Fritzsche, H., World Scientific, New Jersey (1989).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. See e.g., Skumanich, A., Amer, N.M., and Jackson, W.B., Phys. Rev. B 21, 2263 (1985) and Physica 117B & 118B. 897 (1983);CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Skumanich, A., Fathallah, M., and Amer, N.M., Appl. Phys. Lett. 54., 1887 (1989);CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wronski, C.R., Smith, Z.E., Aljishi, S., Chu, V., Shepard, K., Shen, D.-S., Schwarz, R., Slobodin, D., and Wagner, S., p. 70 in AIP Conf. Proc. Vol. 157 (Int. Conf. on Stability ofa-Si Allov Materials and Devices). AIP, New York (1987).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Connell, G.A.N. and Pawlik, J.R., Phys. Rev. B 13, 787 (1976).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8. Brodsky, M.H., Cardona, M., and Cuomo, J.J., Phys. Rev. B 16, 3556 (1977).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Freeman, E.C. and Paul, W., Phys. Rev. B 18 4288 (1978).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10. Dexter, D.L., Phys. Rev. Mil, 48 (1956).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. See e.g., Cody, G.D., p. 25–26 in Semiconductors & Semimetals Vol. 21 Part B. edited by Pankove, J.I., Academic Press, Orlando (1984).Google Scholar
12. Li, Y.-M., PhD. Thesis., Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University (March 1990).Google Scholar
13. Lax, M., Phys. Rev. 109, 1921 (1958);CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ehrenreich, H. and Cohen, M.H., Phys. Rev. 115, 786 (1959); also seeCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cohen, M.L. and Chelikowsky, J.R., Solid State Sciences 22. (Electr. Struc. and Optical Properties of Semicond.), Springer-Verlag, New York (1988).Google Scholar
14. See e.g., Yamasaki, S., Phil. Mag. B 56, 79 (1987).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15. See e.g. references in Madan, A. and Shaw, M.P., The Phys. & Appl. of Amorp. Semicond., p. 39, Academic Press, Boston (1988). Also see citations in p. 131 in Ref. 12.Google Scholar
16. See e.g., Bustarret, E., Jousse, D., Chaussat, C., and Boulitrop, F., J. Non-Cryst. Solids 77&78. 295 (1985);CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jousse, D., Bustarret, E., and Boulitrop, F., Solid State Commun. 51, 435 (1985).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17. See e.g., Branz, H.M., Phys. Rev. B 39, 5107 (1989) for an explanation of the notations.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18. Chahed, L., Vuye, G., Theye, M.L., Li, Y., Mackenzie, K.D., and Paul, W., J. Non-Cryst. Solids 97&98., 727 (1987).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19. Jackson, W.B., Kelso, S.M., Tsai, C.C., Allen, J.W., and Oh, S.-J., Phys. Rev. B 31, 5187 (1985).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20. Wang, N.W., Xu, X., and Wagner, S., presented at Int'l. Meeting on Stability of a-Si Materials and Solar Cells (Denver, CO, Feb. 1991), to be published as AIP Conf. Proc. By AIP, New York.Google Scholar
21. Wronski, C.R., Abeles, B., Tiedje, T., and Cody, G.D., Solid State Commun. 44, 1423 (1982).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
22. Hindley, N.K., J. Non-Cryst. Solids 5, 17 (1970).Google Scholar
23. Payson, J.S. and Guha, S., Phys. Rev. B 21, 1326 (1985).CrossRefGoogle Scholar