Improved deposition rates for μc-Si:H at low substrate temperature

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 501; no. 1; pp. 43 - 46
• Main Authors: Klein, Stefan, Finger, Friedhelm, Carius, Reinhard, Lossen, Jan
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 20.04.2006; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced cvd, mocvd, etc.); Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition rates; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Hot Wire Chemical Vapour Deposition; Material quality; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Microcrystalline silicon; Natural energy; Photoelectric conversion: solar cells and arrays; Photovoltaic conversion; Physics; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Hot Wire Chemical Vapour Deposition; Microcrystalline silicon; Material quality; Deposition rates; Solar cells; Temperature dependence; Raman spectra; Inorganic compounds; Pressure effects; Semiconductor materials; Crystallization; Infrared spectra; Experimental study; Hot wire; CVD; Silicon; Microstructure; Microcrystal
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2005.07.105

Improving the deposition rate for microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) prepared by Hot Wire Chemical Vapour Deposition (HWCVD) under the constraint of a low substrate temperature is the subject of this study. The influence of the deposition pressure and various combinations of filament configuration and filament temperature on the deposition rate and material quality was investigated. Raman and infrared spectroscopy and solar cell J– V parameters are used to evaluate the quality of the material. Low deposition pressures and low filament temperatures at low filament–substrate distances are most suitable to obtain high quality material at improved deposition rates. Deposition rates of 4 Å/s were achieved for high quality material at a substrate temperature of 250 °C.