Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-gvh9x Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-20T11:18:34.611Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Investigations of Silicon Nitride Films for Silicon Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

J. R. Elmiger  and
M. Kunst
J. R. Elmiger
Affiliation:
Hahn-Meitner-Institut, Dep. Solare Energetik, Glienicker Str. 100, 14109 Berlin, Germany
M. Kunst
Affiliation:
Hahn-Meitner-Institut, Dep. Solare Energetik, Glienicker Str. 100, 14109 Berlin, Germany
Get access

Abstract

Silicon nitride films on crystalline silicon were deposited in a low-temperature (< 400 °C ) Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition process. The deposition process is monitored with in situ Time Resolved Microwave Conductivity measurements leading to an on-line quality control of the deposited films. It is shown that at the start of the deposition there is a strong decrease of the lifetime of the measured transient signal due to plasma induced damage at the silicon surface. Afterwards an increase of the lifetime is observed due to passivation of the interface. For thin films (< 30 nm), the lifetime and the film composition depend on the film thickness. Furthermore, the film composition has a strong impact on the passivation of thick (100 nm ) silicon nitride films. The best passivation is obtained for almost stoichiometric films characterized by a refractive index of 1.95.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 426: Symposium J – Thin Films for Photovoltaic and Related Device , 1996 , 129
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Lauinger, T., Schmidt, J., Aberle, A.G., Hezel, R., Appl. Phys. Lett. 68, 1232 (1996)Google Scholar
2 Hezel, R., Solid-State Electronics 24, 863 (1981)Google Scholar
3 Kunst, M., Beck, G., J. Appl. Phys. 63, 1093 (1988)Google Scholar
4 Elmiger, J.R., Kunst, M., Proceedings of 13th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, Nice, 1497 (1995)Google Scholar
5 Swiatkowski, C., Sanders, A., Buhre, K.-D., Kunst, M., J. Appl. Phys. 78, 1763 (1995)Google Scholar
6 Doolittle, L.R., Nucl.Intr. Methods B15, 227 (1986)Google Scholar
7 Franz, G., Vakuum in der Praxis 4, 274 (1991)Google Scholar
8 Hess, D.W., J.Vac.Sci.Technol. A8, 1677 (1990)Google Scholar
9 Kanicki, J., Warren, W. L., Seager, C. H., Crowder, M. S. Lenahan, P. M., J. Non-Cryst. Solids 137, 291 (1991)Google Scholar
10 Zhong, L., Shimura, F., Appl. Phys. Lett. 62, 615 (1993)Google Scholar
11 Overstraten, R.J., Mertens, R.P., “Physics, technology and use of photovoltaics”, Adam Hilger Ltd (1986), p. 256 Google Scholar
12 Peercy, P. S., Stein, H. J., Proceedings of the Electrochemical Society 83–8, 3 (1983)Google Scholar
13 Arai, H., Tanaka, K., Kohda, S., J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 6, 831 (1988)Google Scholar
14 Zhang, X., Shi, G., Yang, A., Shao, D., Thin Solid Films 215, 134 (1992)Google Scholar
15 Bagnoli, P.E., Priccirillo, A., Gobbi, A.L., Giannetti, R., Appl. Surf. Sci. 52, 45 (1991)Google Scholar