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Comparative Study of Solid-Phase Crystallization of Amorphous Silicon Deposited by Hot-wire CVD, Plasma-Enhanced CVD, and Electron-Beam Evaporation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Paul Stradins ,
Oliver Kunz ,
David L. Young ,
Yanfa Yan ,
Kim M. Jones ,
Yueqin Xu ,
Robert C. Reedy ,
Howard M. Branz ,
Armin G. Aberle  and
Qi Wang
Paul Stradins
Affiliation:
pauls_stradins@nrel.gov, National Renewable Enregy Laboratory, NCPV, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO, 80401, United States, 3033846774
Oliver Kunz
Affiliation:
o.kunz@unsw.edu.au, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, N/A, Australia
David L. Young
Affiliation:
david_young@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401, United States
Yanfa Yan
Affiliation:
yanfa_yan@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401, United States
Kim M. Jones
Affiliation:
kim_jones@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401, United States
Yueqin Xu
Affiliation:
yueqin_xu@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401, United States
Robert C. Reedy
Affiliation:
bob_reedy@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401, United States
Howard M. Branz
Affiliation:
howard_branz@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401, United States
Armin G. Aberle
Affiliation:
a.aberle@unsw.edu.au, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, N/A, Australia
Qi Wang
Affiliation:
qi_wang@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO, 80401, United States
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Abstract

Solid-phase crystallization (SPC) rates are compared in amorphous silicon films prepared by three different methods: hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD), plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and electron-beam physical vapor deposition (e-beam). Random SPC proceeds approximately 5 and 13 times slower in PECVD and e-beam films, respectively, as compared to HWCVD films. Doping accelerates random SPC in e-beam films but has little effect on the SPC rate of HWCVD films. In contrast, the crystalline growth front in solid-phase epitaxy experiments propagates at similar speed in HWCVD, PECVD, and e-beam amorphous Si films. This strongly suggests that the observed large differences in random SPC rates originate from different nucleation rates in these materials while the grain growth rates are relatively similar. The larger grain sizes observed for films that exhibit slower random SPC support this suggestion.

Keywords

photovoltaicSinucleation & growth
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 989: Symposium A – Amorphous and Polycrystalline Thin-Film Silicon Science and Technology-2007 , 2007 , 0989-A16-04
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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