Deposition,opto-electronic and structural characterization of polymorphous silicon thin films to be applied in a solar cell structure

In this study we analyze the optoelectronic properties and structural characterization of hydrogenated polymorphous silicon thin films as a function of the deposition parameters. The films were grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using a gas mixture of argon (Ar), hydrogen (H₂) and dichlorosilane (SiH₂Cl₂). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images and Raman measurements confirmed the existence of very different internal structures (crystalline fractions from 12% to 54%) depending on the growth parameters. Variations of as much as one order of magnitude were observed in both the photoconductivity and effective absorption coefficient between the samples deposited with different dichlorosilane/hydrogen flow rate ratios. The optical and transport properties of these films depend strongly on their structural characteristics, in particular the average size and densities of silicon nanocrystals embedded in the amorphous silicon matrix. From these results we propose an intrinsic polymorphous silicon bandgap grading thin film to be applied in a p–i–n junction solar cell structure. The different parts of the solar cell structure were proposed based on the experimental optoelectronic properties of the pm-Si:H thin films studied in this work.     

A simple diborane-degradation model for controlling p-type doping of microcrystalline silicon

The preparation of p-type amorphous- or microcrystalline silicon often requires the use of a gas mixture containing diborane. Whereas the concentration of this gas in the process chamber is critical for the determination of the doping level, and thus of the properties, of resulting films, it is in practice very difficult to have a proper control of such a concentration owing to the degradation of diborane in the cylinder by polymerisation. The main consequence is a significant lack of reproducibility of results. The present paper analyses the problem and its practical influence, describes a simple diborane-degradation model, proposes certain approaches based thereon and shows experimental results illustrating the validity of the procedures suggested. It is finally concluded that the application of this simple model is a straightforward and effective way to control diborane doping level in p-type amorphous- or microcrystalline silicon.     

TFT有源矩阵α－Si∶H薄膜PECVD淀积工艺研究

分析了α－Ｓｉ∶Ｈ薄膜的质量和厚度对α－Ｓｉ∶ＨＴＦＴ关键性指标的影响，深入、详细地讨论了其ＰＥＣＶＤ淀积工艺，并在实验的基础上确定了最佳淀积工艺参数，从而获得了高性能的７５ｍｍ３７２×２７６像素α－Ｓｉ∶ＨＴＦＴ有源矩阵     

PECVD淀积SiO_2薄膜工艺研究

研究了等离子增强化学气相淀积（PECVD）制备非晶SiO2薄膜的工艺。系统地研究了反应气体流量比、射频功率、淀积腔内压强、淀积时间等工艺条件对SiO2薄膜质量的影响,采用椭偏仪测量了不同工艺条件下淀积的SiO2薄膜的厚度和折射率。根据以上测试结果分析了各工艺参数对SiO2薄膜淀积速率、折射率以及均匀性的影响规律,并定性讨论了其机理。找到了比较合适的制备高均匀性和典型折射率SiO2薄膜的工艺参数。     

Controlling the initial phase of PECVD growth of vertically aligned carbon nanofibers on TiN

We explore the growth of vertically aligned carbon nanofibers by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, using lithographically defined Ni catalyst seeds on TiN. TiN is selected for being an electrically conducting diffusion barrier suitable for the realization of electronic devices. We show that the rate of Ni diffusion correlates to both the level of oxygen content in the TiN film and to the film resistivity. The synthesis of the nanofibers was characterized using electron microscopy with an emphasis on three growth parameters: substrate temperature, plasma power, and chamber pressure. We propose that a catalyst surface free from carbon deposits throughout the process will induce diffusion-limited growth. The growth will shift towards a supply-limited process when the balance between acetylene, as the effective carbon bearing gas, and atomic hydrogen, as the main etching agent, is skewed in favor of acetylene. This determines whether the dominating growth mode will be vertically aligned ‘tip-type’ or disordered ‘base-type’, by affecting the competition between the formation of the first graphitic sheets on the catalyst surface and at the catalyst-substrate interface.     

Characteristics of SiOxNy films deposited by inductively coupled plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using HMDS/NH3/O2/Ar for water vapor diffusion barrier

SiO_xN_y thin films were deposited by inductively coupled plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (ICP-PECVD) using hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS, 99.9%)/NH₃/O₂/Ar at a low temperature, and examined for use as a water vapor diffusion barrier. The film characteristics were investigated as a function of the O₂:NH₃ ratio. An increase in the O₂:NH₃ ratio decreased the level of impurities such as -CH_x, N-H in the film through a reaction with oxygen. Thereby, a more transparent and harder film was obtained. In addition, an increase in the O₂:NH₃ ratio decreased the nitrogen content in the film resulting in a more SiO₂-like SiO_xN_y film. Using SiO_xN_y fabricated with an O₂:NH₃ ratio of 1:1, a multilayer thin film consisting of multiple layers of SiO_xN_y/parylene layers was formed on a polyethersulfone (PES, 200 μm) substrate, and its water vapor transmittance rate (WVTR) was investigated. A WVTR < 0.005 g/(m² day) applicable to organic thin film transistors or organic light emitting diodes was obtained using a multilayer composed of SiO_xN_y (260 nm)/parylene (< 1.2 μm) on the PES.     

Electrochemical characteristics of silicon-metals coated graphites for anode materials of lithium secondary batteries

Four kinds of silicon-metals (Cu, Ni, Sn)-graphite composites for anode active materials of lithium secondary batteries were prepared by sequential employment of PECVD (Plasma enhance chemical vapor deposition) and RF(Radio-frequency)-magnetron sputtering method. The silicon-copper-graphite composite showed the highest reversible capacity and cyclability among the silicon-metal composite graphite samples prepared. The enhanced electrochemical performance of silicon-copper-graphite composite is attributed to the formation of copper silicide on the surface of graphite. The copper silicide plays an important role as a buffering layer against volume change of silicon during the intercalation/deintercalation due to the chemical bonding of silicon and copper, and has lower interfacial impedance than that of other silicon-metal-graphite composites which may lead to low irreversible capacity.     

Characterization of low refractive index SiOCF:H films designed to enhance the efficiency of light emission

An anti-reflection (AR) coating was deposited on the surface of flat panel displays to increase the efficiency of the light emission. The use of low reflective index material can decrease the thickness of the optical coating layer. In this work, low refractive index SiOCF:H films were deposited on P-type (100) Si and glass substrates by the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method using an SiH₄, CF₄ and N₂O gas mixture. The refractive index of the SiOCF:H film continuously decreased with increasing deposition temperature and rf power, exhibiting a minimum value of 1.3854. As the rf power was increased, the fluorine content of the film increased linearly to 5.41% at an rf power of 180 W. The rms surface roughness decreased to 1.0 nm with increasing rf power, with the optimum conditions being observed for the film deposited at an rf power of 140 W.     

大面积应用的RF-PECVD技术研究

本文探讨采用小电极与大面积基片相对移动的方法来制造大面积薄膜的可行性,提出了采用小电极等离子体源在大面积基片上移动工作的新方法,可用于沉积(或刻蚀)均匀大面积薄膜或根据需求设计的大面积上非均匀膜厚分布的薄膜,从原理上避免大电极带来的不均匀性.介绍了这种方法中由两个电极构成的等离子体增强化学气相沉积(PECVD)系统.分析了当电极移动时,电极与真空室壁相对位置发生变化时对等离子体参数的影响.我们发现当两个射频电极之间的相位差为定值时,等离子体的分布随电极与真空室壁的距离(极-地距)变化而变化.当极-地距小于80mm时,随极-地距的增加,等离子体的悬浮电位和基片的自偏压下降,离子密度变化不明显.当极-地距大于80mm时,等离子体的分布呈稳定状态,各参数变化不明显.采用PECVD方法镀制了大面积薄膜厚度呈均匀分布和非均匀分布的两种薄膜,提供了膜厚呈线性渐变和抛物线变化的两种薄膜样片,显示了该方法的灵活性和可行性.