Electronic Transport in Co-deposited Hydrogenated Amorphous/Nanocrystalline Thin Films

2008 ◽  
Vol 1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Adjallah ◽  
C. Blackwell ◽  
C. Anderson ◽  
U. Kortshagen ◽  
J. Kakalios
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Mixed Phase ◽  
Bonding Structure ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

ABSTRACTMixed-phase hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films containing nanocrystalline silicon inclusions have been synthesized in a dual chamber co-deposition system. A PECVD deposition system produces small crystalline silicon particles (3-5 nm diameter) in a flow-through reactor, and injects these particles into a separate capacitively-coupled plasma chamber in which hydrogenated amorphous silicon is deposited. Raman spectroscopy is used to determine the volume fraction of nanocrystals in the mixed phase thin films, while infra-red spectroscopy characterizes the hydrogen bonding structure as a function of nanocrystalline concentration. At a moderate concentration of 5 nm silicon crystallites, the dark conductivity and photoconductivity are consistently found to be higher than in mixed phase films with either lower or higher densities of nanocrystalline inclusions.

Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Thin Films with Nanocrystalline Silicon Inclusions

2003 ◽  
Vol 762 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. Belich ◽  
S. Thompson ◽  
C.R. Perrey ◽  
U. Kortshagen ◽  
C.B. Carter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Capacitively Coupled ◽  
Silicon Thin Films ◽  
High Resolution Tem ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous ◽  
Deposition Conditions

AbstractThin films of hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing nanocrystalline silicon inclusions (a/nc-Si:H) have been synthesized in an RF capacitively coupled PECVD system using a mixture of hydrogen diluted silane and helium, under deposition conditions at the edge of powder formation within the plasma. High resolution TEM confirms the presence of nanocrystallites as small as 2 nm in these films. Measurements of the optical absorption spectrum using CPM and PDS indicates a broadening of the Urbach slope in the a/nc-Si:H, compared to a-Si:H films, but no appreciable increase in midgap absorption. Despite the deposition conditions for the a/nc-Si:H being very different from those associated with producing optimal quality a-Si:H, the dark conductivity and photoconductivity values, and the sensitivity to light-induced defect creation in the a/nc-Si:H films are comparable to those in a-Si:H.

Doping Effects in Co-deposited Mixed Phase Films of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Containing Nanocrystalline Inclusions

2008 ◽  
Vol 1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Blackwell ◽  
Xiaodong Pi ◽  
U. Kortshagen ◽  
J. Kakalios
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Silicon Nanoparticles ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Hydrogen Binding ◽  
Doping Effects ◽  
Structural And Electronic Properties ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

ABSTRACTHydrogenated amorphous silicon films containing silicon nanocrystalline inclusions (a/nc-Si:H) that have been n-type doped have been synthesized using a dual-plasma co-deposition system. We report the structural and electronic properties of n-type doped a/nc-Si:H as a function of phosphine doping level and nanocrystalline concentration. The volume fraction of nanocrystals in the doped a/nc-Si:H thin films is measured using Raman spectroscopy, and the hydrogen binding configurations are characterized using infra-red absorption spectroscopy. In undoped a/nc-Si:H, the inclusion of low and moderate nanocrystalline concentrations results in an increase in the dark conductivity, compared to a-Si:H films grown without nanocrystalline inclusions. In contrast, the addition of even a low concentration of silicon nanoparticles in doped a/nc-Si:H thin films leads to a decrease in the dark conductivity and photoconductivity, compared to pure a-Si:H films.

Hall-Effect and Sign Properties in Hydrogenated Amorphous and Disordered Crystalline Silicon

1996 ◽  
Vol 420 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. E. Nebel ◽  
M. Rother ◽  
C. Summonte ◽  
M. Heintze ◽  
M. Stutzmann
Keyword(s):  
Hall Effect ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Volume Fraction ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Small Volume Fraction ◽  
Phosphorus Doped ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous ◽  
Defect Densities ◽  
Very High

AbstractHall experiments on a series of microcrystalline, microcrystalline-amorphous, amorphous and crystalline silicon samples with varying defect densities are presented and discussed. Normal Hall effect signatures on boron and phosphorus doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon are detected. We interpret these results to be due to a small volume fraction of nanocrystalline Si, which falls below the detection limits of Raman experiments. Hydrogenated amorphous silicon, prepared under conditions far away from microcrystalline growth, shows the known double sign anomaly, Sign reversals in c-Si, where the disorder is increased by Si implantation up to very high levels, could not be detected.

Effect of Ge Incorporation on Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Germanium Thin Films Prepared by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition

2012 ◽  
Vol 569 ◽  
pp. 27-30
Author(s):  
Bao Jun Yan ◽  
Lei Zhao ◽  
Ben Ding Zhao ◽  
Jing Wei Chen ◽  
Hong Wei Diao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Chemical Vapor Deposition ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Vapor Deposition ◽  
Silicon Germanium ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Amorphous Silicon Germanium ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon germanium thin films (a-SiGe:H) were prepared via plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). By adjusting the flow rate of GeH4, a-SiGe:H thin films with narrow bandgap (Eg) were fabricated with high Ge incorporation. It was found that although narrow Eg was obtained, high Ge incorporation resulted in a great reduction of the thin film photosensitivity. This degradation was attributed to the increase of polysilane-(SiH2)n, which indicated a loose and disordered microstructure, in the films by systematically investigating the optical, optoelectronic and microstructure properties of the prepared a-SiGe:H thin films via transmission, photo/dark conductivity, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements. Such investigation provided a helpful guide for further preparing narrow Eg a-SiGe:H materials with good optoelectronic properties.

Thermoelectric properties of doped and undoped mixed phase hydrogenated amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon thin films

2010 ◽  
Vol 1245 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Kakalios ◽  
Yves Adjallah ◽  
Charlie Blackwell
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Seebeck Coefficient ◽  
Temperature Dependence ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Mixed Phase ◽  
Positive Temperature ◽  
Silicon Thin Films ◽  
Similar Temperature Dependence ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

AbstractThe Seebeck coefficient and dark conductivity for undoped, and n-type doped thin film hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), and mixed-phase films with silicon nanocrystalline inclusions (a/nc-Si:H) are reported. For both undoped a-Si:H and undoped a/nc-Si:H films, the dark conductivity is enhanced by the addition of silicon nanocrystals. The thermopower of the undoped a/nc-Si:H has a lower Seebeck coefficient, and similar temperature dependence, to that observed for undoped a-Si:H. In contrast, the addition of nanoparticles in doped a/nc-Si:H thin films leads to a negative Seebeck coefficient (consistent with n-type doping) with a positive temperature dependence, that is, the Seebeck coefficient becomes larger at higher temperatures. The temperature dependence of the thermopower of the doped a/nc-Si:H is similar to that observed in unhydrogenated a-Si grown by sputtering or following high-temperature annealing of a-Si:H, suggesting that charge transport may occur via hopping in these materials.

Charge transport in nanocrystalline germanium/hydrogenated amorphous silicon mixed-phase thin films

2013 ◽  
Vol 1536 ◽  
pp. 195-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kent E. Bodurtha ◽  
J. Kakalios
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Charge Transport ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Channel Model ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Mixed Phase ◽  
Crystal Fraction ◽  
Germanium Nanocrystals ◽  
P Type ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

ABSTRACTMixed phase thin films consisting of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) in which germanium nanocrystals (nc-Ge) are embedded have been synthesized using a dual-chamber co-deposition system. Raman spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction measurements confirm the presence of 4 - 4.5 nm diameter nc-Ge homogenously embedded within the a-Si:H matrix. The conductivity and thermopower are studied as the germanium crystal fraction XGe is systematically increased. For XGe < 10%, the thermopower is n-type (as in undoped a-Si:H) while for XGe > 25% p-type transport is observed. For films with 10 < XGe < 25% the thermopower shifts from p-type to n-type as the temperature is increased. This transition is faster than expected from a standard two-channel model for charge transport.

Hydrogenated Nanocrystalline Silicon Thin Film Transistor Array for X-ray Detector Application

2008 ◽  
Vol 1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung-Wook Shin ◽  
Mohammad R. Esmaeili-Rad ◽  
Andrei Sazonov ◽  
Arokia Nathan
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Threshold Voltage ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Amorphous Selenium ◽  
Breakdown Field ◽  
Storage Capacitor ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Hydrogenated Amorphous

ABSTRACTHydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) has strong potential to replace the hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) in thin film transistors (TFTs) due to its compatibility with the current industrial a-Si:H processes, and its better threshold voltage stability [1]. In this paper, we present an experimental TFT array backplane for direct conversion X-ray detector, using inverted staggered bottom gate nc-Si:H TFT as switching element. The TFTs employed a nc-Si:H/a-Si:H bilayer as the channel layer and hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiNx) as the gate dielectric; both layers deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at 280°C. Each pixel consists of a switching TFT, a charge storage capacitor (Cpx), and a mushroom electrode which serves as the bottom contact for X-ray detector such as amorphous selenium photoconductor. The chemical composition of the a-SiNx was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Current-voltage measurements of the a-SiNx film demonstrate that a breakdown field of 4.3 MV/cm.. TFTs in the array exhibits a field effect mobility (μEF) of 0.15 cm2/V·s, a threshold voltage (VTh) of 5.71 V, and a subthreshold leakage current (Isub) of 10−10 A. The fabrication sequence and TFT characteristics will be discussed in details.

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