Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-b95js Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-10T12:59:56.950Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Growth and Properties of Micro-Crystalline (Si,Ge):H Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Karl Erickson ,
Vikram L. Dalal  and
George Chumanov
Karl Erickson
Affiliation:
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
Vikram L. Dalal
Affiliation:
Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
George Chumanov
Affiliation:
Dept. of Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
Get access

Abstract

This paper reports on the growth and characterization of micro-crystalline (Si,Ge) films deposited on glass and polyimide substrates. The films were grown using a hydrogen diluted remote ECR plasma process. The feedstock gases were silane and germane. The entire range of composition from 100% Si to 100% Ge was studied. A low-pressure, low-substrate temperature, and high-power environment was used to change the morphology from amorphous to micro-crystalline. The films deposited at 5 mT pressure are generally micro-crystalline. The film's structure was studied using Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectra show clear, sharp crystalline-type Si and Ge peaks. Electronic properties of the films, such as activation energy and absorption constant down to α = 1 cm−1 were also measured. The sub-gap absorption data also show crystalline absorption behavior, with the absorption shifting to lower energies as the Ge content is increased. This absorption data shows that the materials have low defect densities.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 507: Symposium A – Amorphous & Microcrystalline Silicon Technology 1998 , 1998 , 987
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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 Ganguly, G., Ikeda, T., Nishimiya, T., Saitoh, K., Kondo, M., and Matsuda, A., Appl. Phys. Lett. 69, 4224(1996).Google Scholar
2 Burke, H. H. and Herman, I. P., Appl. Phys. Lett., 55,253(1989).Google Scholar
3 Li, F. and Lannin, J.S., J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 114, 543(1989).Google Scholar
4 Erickson, K., Dalal, V. L., and Chumanov, G., Mater. Res. Soc. Proc., 467, 409(1997).Google Scholar
5 Dalal, V. L., Kaushal, S., Ping, E. X., Xu, J., Knox, R., and Han, K., Mater. Res. Soc. Proc., 377, 137(1995).Google Scholar
6 DeBoer, S. J., Dalal, V. L., Chumanov, G., Bartels, R., Appl. Phys. Lett., 66, 2528(1995).Google Scholar
7 Dalal, V. L., Fortmann, C. M., and Eser, E., Amer. Inst. of Phys. Proc., 73, 15(1981).Google Scholar
8 Dalal, V. L., Maxson, T., Han, K., Haroon, S., J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 5969(1998).Google Scholar
9 Fischer, D., Dubail, S., Selvan, J. A. Anna, Vaucher, N., Platz, R., Hof, Ch., Kroll, U., Meier, J., Torres, P., Keppner, H., Wyrsch, N., Goetz, M., Shah, A., and Ufert, K. D., 25th IEEE PV Spec. Conf., Washington 1996.Google Scholar
10 Herman, I. P., Optical diagnostics for Thin Film Processing, (Academic Press, New York, 1996.)Google Scholar
11 Lee, S., Kumar, S., and Wronski, C., J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 114, 316(1989).Google Scholar
12 Meier, J., Fluckiger, R., Keppner, H., and Shah, A., Appl. Phys. Lett., 65, 860(1994).Google Scholar