Electronic Properties of Hot-Wire Deposited Nanocrystalline Silicon

1998 ◽  
Vol 507 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Brüggemann ◽  
A. Hierzenberger ◽  
H.N. Wanka ◽  
M.B. Schubert
Keyword(s):  
Band Gap ◽  
Electronic Properties ◽  
Defect Density ◽  
High Vacuum ◽  
Sudden Change ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Ultra High Vacuum ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Tauc Plot

ABSTRACTWe compare the electronic properties of nanocrystalline silicon from hot-wire chemical vapor deposition in a high-vacuum and an ultra-high-vacuum deposition system, employing W and Ta as filament material. From the constant photocurrent method we identify a band gap around 1.15 eV while, in contrast, a Tauc plot from optical transmission data guides to a wide band gap above 1.9 eV. The sudden change-over from nanocrystalline to amorphous structure in a hydrogen dilution series is also find in the dark and photoconductivity measurements. The samples show a metastability effect in the dark conductivity upon annealing in vacuum with an increase in the dark conductivity, with the large dark conductivity decreasing slowly after the annealing cycle when the cryostat is flushed with air. We identify larger values for the mobility-lifetime products, which corresponds to the smaller defect density shoulder in constant photocur- rent spectra, for the ultra-high-vacuum deposited material compared to the high-vacuun counterpart.

An in situ and ex situ TEM study of the formation of thin cobalt silicide films by molecular beam epitaxy on the silicon (100) surface

1988 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 884-885
Author(s):  
D. Loretto ◽  
J. M. Gibson ◽  
S. M. Yalisove ◽  
R. T. Tung
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Beam Epitaxy ◽  
Molecular Beam ◽  
Defect Density ◽  
High Vacuum ◽  
Ultra High Vacuum ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Metal Base ◽  
In Situ Experiments ◽  
Potential Applications

The cobalt disilicide/silicon system has potential applications as a metal-base and as a permeable-base transistor. Although thin, low defect density, films of CoSi2 on Si(111) have been successfully grown, there are reasons to believe that Si(100)/CoSi2 may be better suited to the transmission of electrons at the silicon/silicide interface than Si(111)/CoSi2. A TEM study of the formation of CoSi2 on Si(100) is therefore being conducted. We have previously reported TEM observations on Si(111)/CoSi2 grown both in situ, in an ultra high vacuum (UHV) TEM and ex situ, in a conventional Molecular Beam Epitaxy system.The procedures used for the MBE growth have been described elsewhere. In situ experiments were performed in a JEOL 200CX electron microscope, extensively modified to give a vacuum of better than 10-9 T in the specimen region and the capacity to do in situ sample heating and deposition. Cobalt was deposited onto clean Si(100) samples by thermal evaporation from cobalt-coated Ta filaments.

Evolution of Structural and Electronic Properties in Boron-doped Nanocrystalline Silicon Thin Films

2007 ◽  
Vol 989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun Jung Lee ◽  
Andrei Sazonov ◽  
Arokia Nathan
Keyword(s):  
Electronic Properties ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Boron Doping ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Dark Conductivity ◽  
Crystalline Fraction ◽  
Silicon Thin Films ◽  
Boron Doped ◽  
Structural And Electronic Properties ◽  
Effective Mobility

AbstractWe report on the boron-doping dependence of the structural and electronic properties in nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) films directly deposited by plasma- enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The crystallinity, micro-structure, and dark conductivity of the films were investigated by gradually varying the ratio of trimethylboron [B(CH3)3 or TMB] to silane (SiH4) from 0.1 to 2 %. It was found that the low level of boron doping (< 0.2 %) first compensated the nc-Si:H material which demonstrates slightly n-type properties. As the doping increased up to 0.5 %, the maximum dark conductivity (ód) of 1.11 S/cm was obtained while high crystalline fraction (Xc) of the films (over 70 %) was maintained. However, further increase in a TMB-to-SiH4 ratio reduced ód to the order of 10-7 S/cm due to a phase transition of the films from nanocrystalline to amorphous, which was indicated by Raman spectra measurements.P-channel nc-Si:H thin film transistors (TFTs) with top gate and staggered source/drain contacts were fabricated using the developed p+ nc-Si:H layer. The fabricated TFT exhibits a threshold voltage (VTp) of -26.2 V and field effective mobility of holes (μp) of 0.24 cm2/V·s.

The Effects of Hydrogen Profiling and of Light-Induced Degradation on the Electronic Properties of Hydrogenated Nanocrystalline Silicon

2005 ◽  
Vol 862 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.F. Halverson ◽  
J.J. Gutierrez ◽  
J.D. Cohen ◽  
Baojie Yan ◽  
Jeffrey Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electronic Properties ◽  
Minority Carrier ◽  
Defect Density ◽  
Light Exposure ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Drive Level ◽  
Dramatic Decrease ◽  
Transient Photocurrent ◽  
Hydrogen Dilution ◽  
Carrier Collection

AbstractThe electronic properties of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) were studied using junction capacitance methods. Drive-level capacitance profiling (DLCP) measurements revealed significant differences for nc-Si:H layers deposited under constant hydrogen dilution compared to those deposited using hydrogen profiling, with lower DLCP densities in the latter case. Transient photocapacitance (TPC) measurements revealed the mixed-phase nature of these materials. It disclosed spectra that appeared quite microcrystalline-like at lower temperatures, but more similar to a-Si:H at higher temperatures where the minority carrier collection is higher in the nanocrystalline component of these samples. This then suppresses the TPC signal from this component compared to the a-Si:H component. In contrast, because transient photocurrent signals are enhanced by the additional minority carrier collection, those spectra appear microcrystalline like at all temperatures. We also investigated the effects of light-induced degradation in these devices. This caused a dramatic decrease in hole collection, similar to that caused by reducing the measurement temperature of the samples. However, the light exposure did not appear to increase the deep defect density (dangling bonds).

Growth and Electronic Properties of Nanocrystalline Si

2006 ◽  
Vol 910 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikram Dalal ◽  
Kamal Muthukrishnan ◽  
Satya Saripalli ◽  
Dan Stieler ◽  
Max Noack
Keyword(s):  
Electronic Properties ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Film Growth ◽  
Defect Density ◽  
Electronic Materials ◽  
Hole Mobility ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Capture Cross ◽  
Carrier Lifetimes ◽  
Ecr Plasma

AbstractNanocrystalline Silicon is an important electronic materials for solar cells, for display devices and for sensors. In this paper, we discuss the influence of ions on the growth and properties of thenanocrystalline Si:H material. Using a unique growth geometry, combination of hot wire and ECR plasma growth, we show that low energy ion bombrdment is beneficial for growing high quality materials. Ion bombardment by H is shown to etch the films during growth and also promote crystallinity. The results on film growth are compared with simulations of growth using the SRIM program. The electronic properties measured include mobilities of both electrons and holes in device-type structures, carrier lifetimes, diffusion lengths, defect densities and capture cross-sections for holes. Electron mobility is found to increase with grain size, with a minimum mobility being in the range of 1 cm2/V-s. The hole mobility is also in this range, and three different methods of measuring it give approximately the same value. The capture cross-section for holes is of the order of 1-2 × 10-16 cm2. The lifetime of carriers is found to depend inversely on the defect density, implying that the recombination is trap controlled.

Preparation of Nanocrystalline Silicon by Pulsed Plasma Processing

1994 ◽  
Vol 358 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Oda ◽  
M. Otobe
Keyword(s):  
Electron Cyclotron Resonance ◽  
Plasma Cells ◽  
High Vacuum ◽  
Plasma Processing ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Ultra High Vacuum ◽  
Pulsed Plasma ◽  
Very High Frequency ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
H2 Flux

ABSTRACTWe have proposed digital plasma processing for the fabrication of silicon quantum dots with grain size less than l0nm. By using the pulsed gas supply of SiH4 and H2 in the very-high frequency (VHF) plasma, we have clarified the role of atomic hydrogen in the nucleation, crystallization of nanocrystalline Si (nc-Si) as well as in the selective etching of amorphous Si to nc-Si. Recently, we have prepared nc-Si by employing an ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) chamber equipped with VHF plasma cells of SiH4 and H2. Flux rate of Si cluster depends significantly on the pressure of the plasma cell and VHF power. Spherical shaped nc-Si clusters less than 6nm in diameter have been observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Infrared absorption measurements have clarified that the surface of nc-Si is covered by hydrogen. In an attempt to control the position of nuclei, we have prepared nc-Si on SiO2 with micro trenches, 40nm wide and 20nm deep, fabricated by electron beam exposure and electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) etching. It has been revealed by TEM observation that nc-Si are formed preferentially along micro trenches.

Fabrication of Nanocrystalline Si by SiH4 Plasma Cell

1995 ◽  
Vol 377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masanori Otobe ◽  
Tomonori Kanai ◽  
Shunri Oda
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Cell ◽  
Vacuum Chamber ◽  
High Vacuum ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Ultra High Vacuum ◽  
Very High Frequency ◽  
Transmission Electron Microscopy Measurement ◽  
High Vacuum Chamber ◽  
Ultra High Vacuum Chamber ◽  
Nanocrystalline Si

ABSTRACTNanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) has been fabricated by a very-high-frequency plasma cell attached to an ultra-high-vacuum chamber using SiH4 gas. Nanocrystalline Si is formed in the gas phase of the plasma cell and is extracted out of plasma cell through the orifice to the ultra-high-vacuum chamber. The shape of nc-Si is spherical or octahedral with the diameter of 3–30nm. Giant Si particles about 100nm in diameter are also formed at the lower cell pressure condition. A 1000keV transmission electron microscopy measurement has revealed that the core region of giant Si particle with the diameter about 30nm was crystalline and the shell region is amorphous. We have demonstrated that the spread of particle size can be decreased using pulsed gas supply of H2 into SiH4 plasma.

Ion Beam Modification of Cluster-Covered Silicon Surfaces

1996 ◽  
Vol 439 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. V. Gulko ◽  
M. T. Zinke-Allmang
Keyword(s):  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Defect Density ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
High Vacuum ◽  
Finite Size ◽  
Areal Density ◽  
Ultra High Vacuum ◽  
Heteroepitaxial Growth ◽  
Ion Beam Modification ◽  
Density Reduction

AbstractClusters of independently tailored areal density and size distribution were grown on semiconductor surfaces in ultra-high vacuum and used as masks for selective ion beam modification. First studies were undertaken to characterize the vertical interface between areas exposed to low energy ion beams and areas covered by clusters (crystalline silicon). Selective etching was employed to create a patterned surface as a substrate for heteroepitaxial growth of thick Ge layers to test defect density reduction due to finite size growth areas. The quality of the overlayers is discussed.

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