Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications
Thickness evolution of the microstructural and optical properties of Si:H films in the amorphous-to-microcrystalline phase transition region
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
12-1-2002
Journal
Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference
First Page
1076
Last Page
1081
Abstract
The ability to characterize the phase of the intrinsic (i) layers incorporated into amorphous silicon [a-Si:H] and microcrystalline silicon [μc-Si:H] thin film solar cells is critically important for cell optimization. In this research, a new method has been developed to extract the thickness evolution of the μc-Si:H volume fraction in mixed phase amorphous + microcrystalline silicon [(a+mu;c)-Si:H] i-layers. This method is based on real time spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements performed during plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of the films. In the analysis, the thickness at which crystallites first nucleate from the a-Si:H phase can be estimated, as well as the nucleation density and microcrystallite cone angle. The results show very good correlations with structural and electronic device measurements.