Effect of chlorine on dopant activation in a-Si:H
The incorporation of chlorine has a significant effect on the dark conductivity of doped and undoped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). The dark conductivity of a-Si:H films deposited from dichlorosilane (SiCl{sub 2}H{sub 2}) and SiH{sub 4}, and doped with diborane, increases by as much as a factor of 100 over the usual a-Si:H,B films deposited without SiCl{sub 2}H{sub 2}. The effect is observed at gas phase concentrations of diborane ranging from 0.006% to 0.5%, and for both DC and RF plasma depositions, although it is more noticeable for the DC discharge. An increase in dark conductivity is also observed in B doped a-Si,C:H films deposited with dichlorosilane, albeit coupled with a change in the Tauc gap. Chlorine reduces the conductivity of undoped and phosphorus doped a-Si:H films. Undoped a-Si:H films deposited from SiCl{sub 2}H{sub 2} and SiH{sub 4} have a dark conductivity of {approximately} 1 {center_dot} 10{sup {minus}12} S {center_dot} cm{sup {minus}1}, which is an order of magnitude lower than films deposited from pure SiH{sub 4}. The authors discuss several alternatives for the mechanism of chlorine enhanced or reduced dopant activation. They have made solar cells using chlorinated p-type a-SiC:H films as the p-layers.
- Research Organization:
- Princeton Univ., NJ (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Electric Power Research Institute
- OSTI ID:
- 20107933
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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