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Increase of temperature and crystallinity during electrical switching in microcrystalline silicon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2011

Jian Hu ,
Paul Stradins ,
Howard M. Branz ,
Qi Wang ,
J.R. Weinberg-Wolf ,
E.C.T. Harley ,
Chris Lawyer ,
Brittany Huie  and
Daxing Han
Jian Hu
Affiliation:
?National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
Paul Stradins
Affiliation:
?National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
Howard M. Branz
Affiliation:
?National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
Qi Wang
Affiliation:
?National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
J.R. Weinberg-Wolf
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3255, USA
E.C.T. Harley
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3255, USA
Chris Lawyer
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3255, USA
Brittany Huie
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3255, USA
Daxing Han
Affiliation:
Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3255, USA
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Abstract

We investigate electrical stressing and switching in hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (mc-Si:H) by thermal, and optical and electrical measurements of Cr/mc-Si:H/metal thin-film structures. Boron-doped microcrystalline Si films of 30-50 nm thick are deposited by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) on Cr-coated glass at 160°C and contacted with Ag or Al. Switching in devices of size 5 to 30 mm is stimulated by a current-ramp from 10 nA to 50 mA. We find that the voltage across the mc-Si:H devices initially increases logarithmically with current, then saturates at 2∼3 V, and finally drops to a low value of 1 to 1.5 V. This drop indicates a permanent decrease of device resistance to below 1 kW. During current stressing, the surface temperature increases with the bias current, and the surface reflectivity changes. After switching, a small increase in crystalline fraction can be observed by micro-Raman scattering measurements. The observations suggest electrothermal processes which cause changes in microstructure of the mc-Si bulk during current stress.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 808: Symposium A – Amorphous and Nanocrystaline Silicon Science and Technology-2004 , 2004 , A4.25
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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