Optimization and Characterisation of Amorphous Iron Disilicide formed by Ion Beam Mixing of Fe/Si Multilayer Structures for Photovoltaic Applications

Journal Article · Fri Jan 07 00:00:00 EST 2011 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3548379· OSTI ID:21510105

Antwis, Luke; Wong, Lewis; Smith, Andy; Homewood, Kevin; Jeynes, Chris; Gwilliam, Russell ^[1]

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1. Ion Beam Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK GU2 7XH (United Kingdom)

This study presents an optimization and characterization of amorphous Iron Disilicide (a-FeSi{sub 2}) synthesized using Ion Beam Mixing (IBM) of Fe/Si multilayer structures. The layers were deposited using RF magnetron sputtering, and subsequently irradiated with Ar{sup +} and Fe{sup +} beams of 150 and 200 keV. Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS) analysis was used to determine the structure and level of silicidation of the samples. The nature of the band-gap and the optical absorption coefficients were determined by optical transmission analysis. The results demonstrate that the synthesis of a-FeSi{sub 2} can be achieved using this technique, with the total level of silicidation being highly dependant upon the initial structure configuration and beam parameters. Direct band-gap energies of {approx}0.90 eV have been observed for those samples with the highest levels of silicidation, with optical absorption coefficients of {approx}10{sup 4} cm{sup -1}. Therefore this method of fabrication has been shown to produce a-FeSi{sub 2} layers without the need for post-synthesis treatment, using established technologies without compromising the optical properties that make this material such a promising semiconductor for the photovoltaics market.

• OSTI ID: 21510105
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1321, Issue 1; Conference: IIT 2010: 18. international conference on ion implantation technology, Kyoto (Japan), 6-11 Jun 2010; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3548379; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ABSORPTION
AMORPHOUS STATE
ARGON IONS
BACKSCATTERING
EPITAXY
ION BEAMS
IRON IONS
IRON SILICIDES
KEV RANGE 100-1000
LAYERS
MAGNETRONS
MIXING
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
RUTHERFORD BACKSCATTERING SPECTROSCOPY
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SPUTTERING
SYNTHESIS
TRANSMISSION
BEAMS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
ELECTRON TUBES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENERGY RANGE
EQUIPMENT
IONS
IRON COMPOUNDS
KEV RANGE
MATERIALS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE TUBES
PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SCATTERING
SILICIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SORPTION
SPECTROSCOPY
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS