Time-resolved, nonequilibrium carrier dynamics in Si-on-glass thin films for photovoltaic cells

Serafini, John; Akbas, Yunus; Crandall, Lucas; Bellman, Robert; Williams, Carlo Kosik; Sobolewski, Robert

doi:10.1088/0268-1242/31/4/045006

Title: Time-resolved, nonequilibrium carrier dynamics in Si-on-glass thin films for photovoltaic cells

Journal Article · Wed Mar 02 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Semiconductor Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0268-1242/31/4/045006· OSTI ID:1243077

Serafini, John ^[1]; Akbas, Yunus ^[1]; Crandall, Lucas ^[1]; Bellman, Robert ^[2]; Williams, Carlo Kosik ^[2]; Sobolewski, Robert ^[1]

Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States)
Corning Inc., Corning, NY (United States)

Here, a femtosecond pump–probe spectroscopy method was used to characterize the growth process and transport properties of amorphous silicon-on-glass, thin films, intended as absorbers for photovoltaic cells. We collected normalized transmissivity change (ΔT/T) waveforms and interpreted them using a comprehensive three-rate equation electron trapping and recombination model. Optically excited ~300–500 nm thick Si films exhibited a bi-exponential carrier relaxation with the characteristic times varying from picoseconds to nanoseconds depending on the film growth process. From our comprehensive trapping model, we could determine that for doped and intrinsic films with very low hydrogen dilution the dominant relaxation mode was carrier trapping; while for intrinsic films with large hydrogen content and some texture, it was the standard electron–phonon cooling. In both cases, the initial nonequilibrium relaxation was followed by Shockley–Read–Hall recombination. An excellent fit between the model and the ΔT/T experimental transients was obtained and a correlation between the Si film growth process, its hydrogen content, and the associated trap concentration was demonstrated.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: NA0001944

OSTI ID:: 1243077

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1240025

Journal Information:: Semiconductor Science and Technology, Vol. 31, Issue 4; ISSN 0268-1242

Publisher:: IOP PublishingCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 4 works

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Title: Time-resolved, nonequilibrium carrier dynamics in Si-on-glass thin films for photovoltaic cells

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