Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering Studies of Microvoids in Amorphous-Silicon-Based Semiconductors: Final Subcontract Report, 1 February 1991 - 31 January 1994
This report describes work performed to provide new details of the microstructure for the size scale from about 1 nm to 30 nm in high-quality hydrogenated amorphous-silicon and related alloys prepared by current state-of-the-art deposition methods as well as by new and emerging deposition technologies. The purpose of this work is to help determine the role of microvoids and other density fluctuations in controlling the opto-electronic and photovoltaic properties. The approach involved collaboration with several groups that supplied relevant systematic sets of samples and the associated opto-electronic/photovoltaic data to help address particular issues. The small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique, as developed during this project, was able to provide microstructural information with a high degree of sensitivity not available from other methods. It is particularly sensitive to microvoids or H-rich microdomains and to the presence of oriented microstructures. The latter is readily associated with columnar-type growth and can even be observed in premature stages not detectable by transmission electron microscopy. Flotation density measurements provided important complementary data. Systematic correlations demonstrated that material with more SAXS-detected microstructure has to-electronic and photovoltaic properties and increased degradation under light soaking. New results related to alloy randomness emerged from our ability to measure the difffuse scattering component of the SAXS.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- OSTI ID:
- 10170005
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-411-6855; ON: DE94011840; BR: WM1020000
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Jul 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SILICON
MICROSTRUCTURE
PROGRESS REPORT
SCATTERING
AMORPHOUS STATE
VOIDS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY
photovoltaics
solar cells
small-angle x-ray scattering
microvoids
semiconductors
140501
360602
PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION
STRUCTURE AND PHASE STUDIES