New insights in the nanostructure and defect states of hydrogenated amorphous silicon obtained by annealing

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jimmy Melskens ◽  
Arno H. M. Smets ◽  
Marc Schouten ◽  
Stephan W. H. Eijt ◽  
Henk Schut ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Defect States ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

Theoretical Studies of Structure and Doping of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon

2011 ◽  
Vol 1321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bin Cai ◽  
D. A. Drabold
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Theoretical Studies ◽  
Defect States ◽  
High Impurity ◽  
Bond Center ◽  
B Doping ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous ◽  
Center Site

ABSTRACTIn a-Si:H, large concentrations of B or P (of order 1%) are required to dope the material, suggesting that doping mechanisms are very different than for the crystal for which much smaller concentrations are required. In this paper, we report simulations on B and P introduced into realistic models of a-Si:H and a-Si, with concentrations ranging from 1.6% to 12.5% of B or P in the amorphous host. The results indicate that tetrahedral B and P are effective doping configurations in a-Si, but high impurity concentrations introduce many defect states. For a-Si:H, we report that both B(3,1) and P(3,1) (B or P atom bonded with three Si atoms and one H atom) are effective doping configurations. We investigate H passivation in both cases. For both B and P, there exists a “hydrogen poison range” of order 6 Å for which H in a bond-center site can suppress doping. For B doping, nearby H prefers to stay at the bond-center of Si-Si, leaves B four-fold and neutralizes the doping configuration; for P doping, nearby H spoils the doping by inducing a reconstruction rendering initially tetrahedral P three-fold.

Defect States in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon-Sulphur Alloys by ESR and PAS

1991 ◽  
Vol 219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaorong Han ◽  
Jianmin Qiao ◽  
Piyi Du ◽  
Zhonghua Jiang ◽  
Zishang Ding
Keyword(s):  
Glow Discharge ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Spin Density ◽  
Molecular Hydrogen ◽  
Annealing Temperature ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Sulphur Content ◽  
Defect States ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

ABSTRACTWe have presented ESR and PAS measurements for a series of a-SiS:H and a-Si: H films deposited by glow discharge at different parameters. The spin density in a-SiS:H alloys measured by ESR is essentially independent of the sulphur content, while the density of defects measured by PAS increases significantly with the increasing of sulphur content. The ESR signals in a-SiS:H alloys strongly depend on both annealing and illumination. The spin density increases up to 540°C and then decreases with raising annealing temperature for a-SiS:H and a-Si:H alloys. The results suggest that some new defects such as molecular hydrogen and microvoids are appeared when addition of sulphur to a-Si:H films.

Charged defect states in intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon films

1994 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 2260-2263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Güneş ◽  
Christopher R. Wronski ◽  
T. J. McMahon
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Silicon Films ◽  
Charged Defect ◽  
Defect States ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

Stability in Amorphous Silicon

1987 ◽  
Vol 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z E. Smith ◽  
S. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Electron Spin Resonance ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Thermal Recovery ◽  
Defect States ◽  
Spin Resonance ◽  
Resonance Data ◽  
Electron Spin Resonance Data ◽  
Gap States ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

AbstractThe experimental phenomena associated with light-induced degradation and thermal recovery of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films are reviewed, with special emphasis on the limitations of each experimental technique. When several techniques are used in concert, a fuller picture emerges. Recent experiments suggest different positions in the band-gap of the paramagnetic-associated defect states (the dangling bonds) for doped and undopedfilms; this information can be combined with conductivity, sub-bandgap optical absorption and electron spin resonance data to yield a model for the density of gap states (DOS) in a- Si:H, including how the DOS changes upon illumination and annealing.

Inadequacy of the Conventional View of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon

1986 ◽  
Vol 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Adler ◽  
M. Silver ◽  
M. P. Shaw ◽  
V. Cannella
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Intrinsic Defect ◽  
Dangling Bond ◽  
Defect States ◽  
Band Tail ◽  
Conventional View ◽  
Substitutional Doping ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous ◽  
Basic Experimental Data

ABSTRACTThe conventional view of the electronic structure of hydrogenated amorphous silicon is: (1) the material is characterized by a mobility gap of about 1.8 eV, with exponential band tails due to disorder and deep defect states arising from silicon dangling bonds (T3 centers); (2) substitutional doping occurs because of the formation of chargedimpurity/dangling-bond pairs, e.g. P4+ – T3-, at the substrate temperature; (3) the effective correlation of the T3 center is about 0.4 eV; (4) T3o centers are the predominant recombination center; (5) the three intrinsic ESR signals are due to electrons on T3o centers, electrons in the conduction band tail, and holes in the valence band tail. It is the purpose of this paper to demonstrate that this model is in sharp disagreement with an array of basic experimental data, and much of the evidence presented in its favor is based on self-inconsistent logic. We conclude that it is very likely that large concentrations of charged intrinsic defect pairs are present in all hydrogenated amorphous silicon films.

New Insights in the Nanostructure and Defect States of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Obtained by Annealing

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jimmy Melskens ◽  
Arno H. M. Smets ◽  
Marc Schouten ◽  
Stephan W. H. Eijt ◽  
Henk Schut ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Defect States ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

Dependence of Steady-State Defect Density in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon on Carrier Generation Rate Studied Over a Wide Range

1993 ◽  
Vol 297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuhiro Hata ◽  
Gautam Ganguly ◽  
Akihisa Matsuda
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Defect Density ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Continuous Light ◽  
Effective Rate ◽  
Defect States ◽  
Carrier Generation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

Measurements of the steady-state defect density (Nst) in hydrogenated amorphous silicon under illumination of pulse-laser light, as well as of continuous light, were carried out; and the dependence of Nst on the effective rate of carrier generation (G) is presented. The values of G ranged from 8 x 1021 to 2.4 × 1023 cm-3 s-1, while the illumination temperature was kept at 30 °C or at 105 °C. The results showed trends of Nst increasing with G similarly to the trends in the literature, but covered a higher and wider G range, and fitted a defect model which assumes a limited number of possible defect states.

The Staebler-Wronski Effect: New Physical Approaches and Insights as a Route to Reveal its Origin

2010 ◽  
Vol 1245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arno H.M. Smets ◽  
Chris R. Wronski ◽  
Miro Zeman ◽  
M. van de Sanden
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Evidence ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Defect States ◽  
Staebler Wronski Effect ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous ◽  
Metastable Defect ◽  
Hydrogen Bonded

AbstractIn the recent years more and more theoretical and experimental evidence have been found that the hydrogen bonded to silicon in dense hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) predominantly resides in hydrogenated divacancies. In this contribution we will philosophize about the option that the small fraction of divacancies, missing at least one of its bonded hydrogen, may correspond to some of the native and metastable defect states of a-Si:H. We will discuss that such defect entities are an interesting basis for new and alternative views on the origin of the SWE.

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