Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications
Evolution of microstructure and phase in amorphous, protocrystalline, and microcrystalline silicon studied by real time spectroscopic ellipsometry
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-1-2003
Volume
78
Issue
1-4
Journal
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
First Page
143
URL with Digital Object Identifier
10.1016/S0927-0248(02)00436-1
Last Page
180
Abstract
Real time spectroscopic ellipsometry has been applied to develop deposition phase diagrams that can guide the fabrication of hydrogenated silicon (Si:H) thin films at low temperatures (< 300°C) for highest performance electronic devices such as solar cells. The simplest phase diagrams incorporate a single transition from the amorphous growth regime to the mixed-phase (amorphous + microcrystalline) growth regime versus accumulated film thickness [the a → (a + μc) transition]. These phase diagrams have shown that optimization of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) intrinsic layers by RF plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at low rates is achieved using the maximum possible flow ratio of H2 to SiH4 that can be sustained while avoiding the a → (a + μc) transition. More recent studies have suggested that a similar strategy is appropriate for optimization of p-type Si:H thin films. The simple phase diagrams can be extended to include in addition the thickness at which a roughening transition is detected in the amorphous film growth regime. It is proposed that optimization of a-Si:H in higher rate RF PECVD processes further requires the maximum possible thickness onset for this roughening transition. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.