Lowering of Thickness of N-Type Microcrystalline Hydrogenated Silicon Film by Seeding Technique

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 38; no. 9A; p. L981
• Main Authors: K. Barua, Asok, Sankar Mandal, Sankar Mandal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 1999
• ISSN: 0021-4922; 1347-4065
• DOI: 10.1143/JJAP.38.L981

By using a seeding technique it has been possible to
lower significantly the thickness of n-type µc-Si:H
film having acceptable dark conductivity for use
at the tunnel junction/s of multijunction a-Si solar
cells. The µc-Si:H films have been prepared by radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RFPECVD)
method (13.56 MHz) at low power and substrate
temperature suitable for the fabrication of a-Si solar
cells. The seed layer used is an ultrathin layer of
undoped µc-Si:H film which facilitates the growth of
microcrystallinity in n-µc-Si:H film. The positive
effect of seed layer in the growth of microcrystallinity
of n-µ-Si:H film has been established by the study of
dark conductivity and transmission electron microscope
(TEM) of films prepared under different deposition
conditions.