skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Structural and electronic studies of a:Si Ge:H alloys

Abstract

This report describes a research program to investigate hydrogenated amorphous silicon-germanium alloys (a-Sil-xGex:H) for solar-cell applications. Specifically, studies were carried out to determine why these low-band-gap alloys exhibit photo-electronic properties inferior to those of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). Two contributors to this phenomenon were established: (1) An amorphous semiconductor of smaller band gap than a-Si:H, but possessing tails to the conduction band and valence band densities of states of the same extent as in a-Si:H, and also possessing at least the same density of defect-related states, was bound to have shorter electron and hole lifetimes. (2) The structure of alloy films (whether with smaller or larger band gaps than that of a a-Si:H), exhibited considerable inhomogeneity; this led to an even greater reduction in the quantum-efficiency mobility lifetime product. The extensive studies confirmed that a-Ge:H is much poorer than a-Si:H from a photoelectronic standpoint.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (USA)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Solar Energy Research Inst. (SERI), Golden, CO (United States); Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (USA)
Sponsoring Org.:
DOE/CE
OSTI Identifier:
6956436
Report Number(s):
SERI/TP-211-3655
ON: DE90000313
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-83CH10093
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; GERMANIUM ALLOYS; ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES; PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS; FABRICATION; SILICON ALLOYS; ACTIVATION ENERGY; AMORPHOUS STATE; DEPOSITION; GERMANIUM HYDRIDES; GLOW DISCHARGES; HYDROGEN; OPTICAL PROPERTIES; PROGRESS REPORT; SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS; SUBSTRATES; TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE; ALLOYS; DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS; DOCUMENT TYPES; ELECTRIC DISCHARGES; ELEMENTS; ENERGY; GERMANIUM COMPOUNDS; HYDRIDES; HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; MATERIALS; NONMETALS; PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; 140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion; 360603 - Materials- Properties; 360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture

Citation Formats

Paul, W. Structural and electronic studies of a:Si Ge:H alloys. United States: N. p., 1990. Web. doi:10.2172/6956436.
Paul, W. Structural and electronic studies of a:Si Ge:H alloys. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/6956436
Paul, W. 1990. "Structural and electronic studies of a:Si Ge:H alloys". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/6956436. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6956436.
@article{osti_6956436,
title = {Structural and electronic studies of a:Si Ge:H alloys},
author = {Paul, W},
abstractNote = {This report describes a research program to investigate hydrogenated amorphous silicon-germanium alloys (a-Sil-xGex:H) for solar-cell applications. Specifically, studies were carried out to determine why these low-band-gap alloys exhibit photo-electronic properties inferior to those of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). Two contributors to this phenomenon were established: (1) An amorphous semiconductor of smaller band gap than a-Si:H, but possessing tails to the conduction band and valence band densities of states of the same extent as in a-Si:H, and also possessing at least the same density of defect-related states, was bound to have shorter electron and hole lifetimes. (2) The structure of alloy films (whether with smaller or larger band gaps than that of a a-Si:H), exhibited considerable inhomogeneity; this led to an even greater reduction in the quantum-efficiency mobility lifetime product. The extensive studies confirmed that a-Ge:H is much poorer than a-Si:H from a photoelectronic standpoint.},
doi = {10.2172/6956436},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6956436}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1990},
month = {Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1990}
}