No abstract

Layers of Si nanocrystals in a dielectric matrix have promising properties to be implemented as the absorber layer in a top cell of a Si‐based tandem solar cell. Si nanocrystals in SiC are produced by plasma deposition of Si rich a‐SiC:H and subsequent solid phase crystallization by thermal annealing at temperatures between 800°C and 1000°C. The Si rich a‐SiC:H films were doped with boron by addition of diluted diborane (B2H6 in H2) to the plasma process. The microstructure was investigated for different gas fluxes and annealing procedures and the films were found to consist of amorphous or polycrystalline SiC with embedded Si nanocrystals. The microstructural results are then correlated with the electrical and optoelectronic properties. By choosing appropriate deposition parameters, the films micro‐structure could be modified such that the crystallization of both Si and SiC nanocrystals is favoured and the conductivity is enhanced. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) patterns show the formation of both Si and SiC nanocrystals after annealing at 900 °C, if the hydrogen flux in the plasma is large enough. The formation of SiC nanocrystals is confirmed by Fourier Transformed IR (FTIR) spectra where a transition from a Gaussian shaped peak of the amorphous SiC‐phase to a blueshifted Lorentzian peak of nanocrystalline SiC is observed. Dark dc IV measurements reveal the increase of conductivity with diluted diborane flux from 9.32 10–6 Ω–1cm–1 to 1.98 10–2 Ω–1cm–1 for a 1000 °C anneal. Increase of annealing temperature at constant doping also increases conductivity by about two orders of magnitude. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

The additive production of sensors on massive mechanical components for structural health monitoring (e.g., temperature, strain, and body-sound) using printing and laser technology shows great potential since the sensor structures are applied directly onto the component's surface without using adhesives or leads. The required multilayer stack of different materials can be added consecutively to build up the sensor layer by layer. Digital additive production techniques like printing and laser-induced heat treatment processes enable the manufacturing of highly individualized sensor structures down to batch size one. In this work, the principle of laser treatment of printed layers for temperature and strain sensors (Fig. 1) is introduced and first results are discussed. For the manufacturing process of insulator (glass) and conductor/resistor (silver-based) layers, microparticulate materials are deposited onto steel substrates and laser sintered. For better chemical and mechanical adhesion, the substrate surfaces are also pretreated (oxidized and roughened) using laser radiation. Combining the additive, digital and inline-capable printing, and laser sintering methods, functional layers for sensor applications on massive steel components can be realized

No abstract

No abstract