Material Structure of Microcrystalline Silicon Deposited with an Expanding Thermal Plasma

2003 ◽  
Vol 762 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Smit ◽  
D.L. Williamson ◽  
M.C.M. van de Sanden ◽  
R.A.C.M.M. van Swaaij

AbstractExpanding thermal plasma CVD (ETP CVD) has been used to deposit thin microcrystalline silicon films. In this study we varied the position at which the silane is injected in the expanding hydrogen plasma: relatively far from the substrate and close to the plasma source, giving a long interaction time of the plasma with the silane, and close to the substrate, resulting in a short interaction time. The material structure is studied extensively. The crystalline fractions as obtained from Raman spectroscopy as well as from X-ray diffraction (XRD) vary from 0 to 67%. The average particle sizes vary from 6 to 17 nm as estimated from the (111) XRD peak using the Scherrer formula. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and flotation density measurements indicate void volume fractions of about 4 to 6%. When the samples are tilted the SAXS signal is lower than for the untilted case, indicating elongated objects parallel to the growth direction in the films. We show that the material properties are influenced by the position of silane injection in the reactor, indicating a change in the plasma chemistry.

1997 ◽  
Vol 467 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Goerlitzer ◽  
N. Beck ◽  
P. Torres ◽  
U. Kroll ◽  
H. Keppner ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTElectronic transport parallel and perpendicular to growth direction has been studied in a series of microcrystalline silicon samples obtained by various dilutions of silane in hydrogen. It is clearly shown that the transport properties (dark conductivity, drift mobility, ambipolar diffusion length and photoconductivity) under dark and under illumination conditions are enhanced as the dilution is increased. Furthermore, these films exhibit no degradation upon light-soaking. X-Ray diffraction patterns of the samples confirm that there is a correlation between the amount of crystalline fraction in the samples and the transport properties, as well as a preferential orientation along the growth direction. A similar correlation is found with the shift of the Si-H stretching mode peak of the infrared spectra (IR). Because transport properties have been measured by different techniques (dark conductivity, ambipolar length and photoconductivity in the direction perpendicular to growth direction, drift mobility in the direction parallel to growth direction), no statement can be made about a possible anisotropy in transport, as it would be expected from the columnar shape of the crystallites.


Author(s):  
Alejandro Martiz ◽  
Zoltán Károly ◽  
Eszter Bódis ◽  
Péter Fazekas ◽  
Miklós Mohai ◽  
...  

Synthesis of zirconium carbide (ZrC) powder was investigated applying a non-conventional atmospheric radiofrequency (RF) thermal plasma process. In one case, zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) was reacted with solid carbon or with methane with varying molar ratio. In the other, zirconium-propoxide (NZP), containing both constituents, was thermally decomposed in the Ar plasma. Temperature-dependent thermodynamic analysis was performed in the 500-5500 K temperature range to estimate the formation of possible equilibrium products for each reaction stoichiometry. Broad temperature range exists for the stability of solid ZrC for each explored reaction system. In accordance with this prediction, X-ray diffraction studies detected the ZrC as the major phase in all the prepared powders. The yield of particular runs ranged from 39 % to 98 %. Practically, full conversion was typical for the case of NZP precursor, however only partial conversion could be detected in ZrO2 reactions. The average particle size of the powders falls between 10 nm and 100 nm depending on the type of the reaction systems (either calculated from the specific surface area or derived from broadening the XRD reflections). The transmission electron micrographs indicated mostly globular shape of the nanosize particles. Quantitative analysis of the surface of the powders by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the presence of oxygen and carbon. Evaluating the spectra of the powders prepared from NZP, and taking in the account its spherical shape, a ZrC core covered by a very thin (≈1.0 nm) ZrO2 layer may be accounted for the measured oxygen and a thicker carbonaceous layer.


2003 ◽  
Vol 762 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Gordijn ◽  
J.K. Rath ◽  
R.E.I. Schropp

AbstractDue to the high temperatures used for high deposition rate microcrystalline (μc-Si:H) and polycrystalline silicon, there is a need for compact and temperature-stable doped layers. In this study we report on films grown by the layer-by-layer method (LbL) using VHF PECVD. Growth of an amorphous silicon layer is alternated by a hydrogen plasma treatment. In LbL, the surface reactions are separated time-wise from the nucleation in the bulk. We observed that it is possible to incorporate dopant atoms in the layer, without disturbing the nucleation. Even at high substrate temperatures (up to 400°C) doped layers can be made microcrystalline. At these temperatures, in the continuous wave case, crystallinity is hindered, which is generally attributed to the out-diffusion of hydrogen from the surface and the presence of impurities (dopants).We observe that the parameter window for the treatment time for p-layers is smaller compared to n-layers. Moreover we observe that for high temperatures, the nucleation of p-layers is more adversely affected than for n-layers. Thin, doped layers have been structurally, optically and electrically characterized. The best n-layer made at 400°C, with a thickness of only 31 nm, had an activation energy of 0.056 eV and a dark conductivity of 2.7 S/cm, while the best p-layer made at 350°C, with a thickness of 29 nm, had an activation energy of 0.11 V and a dark conductivity of 0.1 S/cm. The suitability of these high temperature n-layers has been demonstrated in an n-i-p microcrystalline silicon solar cell with an unoptimized μc-Si:H i-layer deposited at 250°C and without buffer. The Voc of the cell is 0.48 V and the fill factor is 70 %.


2021 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan A. Ivanov ◽  
V. O. Ustyuzhanin ◽  
A. V. Sudnikov ◽  
A. Inzhevatkina

A plasma gun for forming a plasma stream in the open magnetic mirror trap with additional helicoidal field SMOLA is described. The plasma gun is an axisymmetric system with a planar circular hot cathode based on lanthanum hexaboride and a hollow copper anode. The two planar coils are located around the plasma source and create a magnetic field of up to 200 mT. The magnetic field forms the magnetron configuration of the discharge and provides a radial electric insulation. The source typically operates with a discharge current of up to 350 A in hydrogen. Plasma parameters in the SMOLA device are Ti ~ 5 eV, Te ~ 5–40 eV and ni ~ (0.1–1)  × 1019 m−3. Helium plasma can also be created. The plasma properties depend on the whole group of initial technical parameters: the cathode temperature, the feeding gas flow, the anode-cathode supply voltage and the magnitude of the cathode magnetic insulation.


2008 ◽  
Vol 373-374 ◽  
pp. 318-321
Author(s):  
J. Liang ◽  
M.K. Lei

Effects of stacking faults in a high nitrogen face-centered-cubic phase (γΝ) formed on plasma source ion nitrided 1Cr18Ni9Ti (18-8 type) austenitic stainless steel on peak shift and peak asymmetry of x-ray diffraction were investigated based on Warren’s theory and Wagner’s method, respectively. The peak shift from peak position of the γΝ phase is ascribed to the deformation faults density α, while the peak asymmetry of the γΝ phase is characterized by deviation of the center of gravity of a peak from the peak maximum (Δ C.G.) due to the twin faults density β. The calculated peak positions of x-ray diffraction patterns are consistent with that measured for plasma source ion nitrided 1Cr18Ni9Ti stainless steel.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. A. Athmaselvi ◽  
C. Kumar ◽  
M. Balasubramanian ◽  
Ishita Roy

This study evaluates the physical properties of freeze dried tropical (guava, sapota, and papaya) fruit powders. Thermal stability and weight loss were evaluated using TGA-DSC and IR, which showed pectin as the main solid constituent. LCR meter measured electrical conductivity, dielectric constant, and dielectric loss factor. Functional groups assessed by FTIR showed presence of chlorides, and O–H and N–H bonds in guava, chloride and C–H bond in papaya, and chlorides, and C=O and C–H bonds in sapota. Particle size and type of starch were evaluated by X-ray diffraction and microstructure through scanning electronic microscopy. A semicrystalline profile and average particle size of the fruit powders were evidenced by X-ray diffraction and lamellar/spherical morphologies by SEM. Presence of A-type starch was observed in all three fruits. Dependence of electric and dielectric properties on frequency and temperature was observed.


2009 ◽  
Vol 156-158 ◽  
pp. 473-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergei K. Brantov ◽  
A.V. Eltzov ◽  
Olga V. Feklisova ◽  
Eugene B. Yakimov

Characterization of defect structure in silicon ribbon grown on carbon foil has been carried out. The structure of grown Si layers and a dislocation density in these layers have been studied using selective chemical etching and the Electron Backscattering Diffraction. It is observed that the layers consist of rather large grains, the majority of which is elongated along the growth direction with a similar surface orientation and with a misorientation angle between neighboring grains of 60º. This means that such grains are separated by the (111) twin boundaries. The dislocation density in different grains is found to vary from 102 to 107cm-2. The energy dispersive X-Ray microanalysis has shown that some twin boundaries are enriched with carbon.


1997 ◽  
Vol 144 (7) ◽  
pp. 2455-2461 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Monget ◽  
S. Vallon ◽  
F. H. Bell ◽  
L. Vallier ◽  
O. Joubert

1997 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhongxing Shao ◽  
Zhanshan Wang ◽  
Fengming Xu ◽  
Junxia Lu ◽  
Xingdan Chen

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