Amorphous silicon deposition research with in situ diagnostics
This annual describes the research results of the JPL Flat Plate Solar Photovoltaic Research Project, which is sponsored by the US Department of Energy and is part of the National Photovoltaics Program to initiate a major effort toward the development of cost- competitive solar arrays. Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) microwave plasma depositions of a-Si:H and a-SiC:H films have been investigated. The material properties of ECR-deposited a-Si:H films are comparable to conventional device-quality a Si:H films deposited by the radio frequency (RF) plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). A new type of conductive a-Si:H films has also been deposited by ECR PECVD. The p-type doping of ECR-deposited, conductive a-Si:H films has shown a conductivity of 5 {times} 10{sup {minus}2} ({Omega}-cm{sup {minus}1}). Infrared spectroscopy reveals that the bonded hydrogen content in the conductive a-Si:H film is about a factor of ten less than that in the photosensitive a-Si:H film. Amorphous and microcrystalline SiC:H films (a-SiC:H, {mu}c-SiC:H) have been deposited by ECR microwave plasmas using SiH{sub 4}, CH{sub 4}, and H{sub 2} gas mixtures. The deposition rate of a-Si:H films is found to be strongly dependent on the ECR magnetic field and the hydrogen dilution. The hydrogen dilution effect on the deposition rate indicates that the etching in ECR hydrogen plasmas plays and important role in the deposition of a-Si:H films. The ECR depositions of photosensitive and conductive a-Si:H, a-SiC:H and {mu}c-SiC:H films indicate that the ECR deposition technology is a promising alternative method for developing a-Si:H and related alloys for photovoltaic applications. Systematic investigations on ECR depositions of a-Si:H and alloys on diagnostic solar cell fabrications will provide new opportunities for developing stable and improved material properties for a-Si:H solar cell applications. 11 refs., 30 figs., 2 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Jet Propulsion Lab., Pasadena, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE; NASA; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AI01-85CE89008
- OSTI ID:
- 5709285
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/CE/89008-T2; ON: DE91013301
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360602 -- Other Materials-- Structure & Phase Studies
360603 -- Materials-- Properties
AMORPHOUS STATE
ARGON
CHEMICAL COATING
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
COATINGS
COST
CYCLOTRON RESONANCE
DEPOSITION
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRON CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
FILMS
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROGEN
INFRARED SPECTRA
NONMETALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOSENSITIVITY
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA ARC SPRAYING
PROGRESS REPORT
RARE GASES
RESONANCE
SEMIMETALS
SENSITIVITY
SILICON
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPECTRA
SPECTROSCOPY
SPRAY COATING
SURFACE COATING
USES
VAPOR DEPOSITED COATINGS