Formation and properties of p–i–n diodes based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon with embedded CrSi₂, Mg₂Si and Ca₂Si nanocrystallites for energy conversion applications

Abstract

The hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) based p-i-n diode structures Al/a-Si:H(p + )/ a-Si:H(i)/(silicides NPs/a-Si)x/a-Si:H(i)/a-Si:H(n + )/ITO/glass with multiple layers (x = 8,…,15) of the embedded narrow band semiconducting nanoparticle silicide (CrSi2, Mg2Si and Ca2Si) multistructures have been grown by combining the plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) and the UHV reactive deposition epitaxy (RDE). Formation of silicide nanoparticles and multistructures has been confirmed in-situ by the Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and electron energy loss spectroscopies (EELS) and ex-situ by optical absorbance and Raman spectroscopies. The I-V curves of the a-Si:H p-i-n diodes with embedded silicide NP multistructures have shown the maximal forward current for Ca2Si nanoparticles. The room temperature electroluminescence has been observed in the near infrared region for diodes with embedded Ca2Si and Mg2Si NPs multistructures.