Synthesis of nanocrystalline silicon thin films using the increase of the deposition pressure in the hot-wire chemical vapour deposition technique

Halindintwali, S.; Knoesen, D.; Swanepoel, R.; Julies, B.; Arendse, Christopher J.; Muller, T.F.G.; Theron, C.C.; Gordijn, A.; Bronsveld, P.C.P.; Rath, J.K.; Schropp, R.E.I.

doi:10.4102/sajs.v105i7/8.79

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The deposition rate of Si films decreased with increasing pressure, giving values of 3, 2.3, 1.5, 1.3, and 1 nm/s at 0.3, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 Torr, respectively. This dependence of deposition rate on pressure is different from previous reports, wherein the deposition rate was found to increase with process pressure during the deposition of Si films by HWCVD. ,, This is due to the difference in the range of the process pressure used in the experiment. In the previous reports, most Si HWCVD processes were done at pressures less than 0.5 Torr.…”

Section: Results and Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Nonclassical Crystallization in Low-Temperature Deposition of Crystalline Silicon by Hot-Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition

Yoo

Hong

Lee

et al. 2014

Crystal Growth & Design

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The effect of process pressure on the deposition behavior of crystalline Si films during hot-wire chemical vapor deposition was approached by nonclassical crystallization, wherein crystals grow not by individual atoms, but by nanoparticles. The size distribution of charged nanoparticles generated in the gas phase was measured using a particle beam mass spectrometer, and the nanoparticles were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) after being captured from the gas phase on a TEM grid membrane. This found that, as the pressure is increased from 0.3 to 2 Torr, it is not only the size and the number of captured nanoparticles that are reduced but also the rate of deposition. An increase in the distance at which nanoparticles were captured from the hot wires under 1.5 Torr also reduced the size and number of particles; however, this tendency decreased markedly at 0.3 Torr. These results imply that the Si-H system should have a retrograde solubility, whose tendency increases with increasing pressure. The pressure dependence of the deposition behavior can be explained by nonclassical crystallization. On the basis of this understanding, the microcrystalline Si could be deposited on a glass substrate at 370 °C with an amorphous incubation layer of ∼10 nm.

show abstract

Section: Results and Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Nonclassical Crystallization in Low-Temperature Deposition of Crystalline Silicon by Hot-Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition

Yoo

Hong

Lee

et al. 2014

Crystal Growth & Design

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The ratio between the CH 4 and SiH 4 flow rates (F) was fixed at 1.5, while the hydrogen dilution ratio in the SiH 4 :CH 4 mixture was varied between 30 % and 80 %. The thickness of the deposited layers was measured by a Veeco Dektak 6M profiler using the procedure described in [8]. Table 1 summarizes the deposition conditions.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spectroscopy and structural properties of amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon carbide thin films

Halindintwali

Knoesen

Julies

et al. 2011

Phys. Status Solidi C

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Amorphous SiC:H thin films were grown by hot wire chemical vapour deposition from a SiH4/CH4/H2 mixture at a substrate temperature below 400 °C. Thermal annealing in an argon environment up to 900 °C shows that the films crystallize as μc‐Si:H and SiC with a porous microstructure that favours an oxidation process. By a combination of spectroscopic tools comprising Fourier transform infrared, Raman scattering and X‐rays photoelectron spectroscopy we show that the films evolve from the amorphous SiHx/SiCH2 structure to nanocrystalline Si and SiC upon annealing at a temperature of 900 °C. A strong RT photoluminescence peak of similar shape has been observed at around 420 nm in both as‐deposited and annealed samples. Time‐resolved luminescence measurements reveal that this peak is fast decaying with lifetimes ranging from 0.5 to ∼1.1 ns. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

show abstract

“…However, so far there exist only few reports in the literature about the influence of process pressure on fundamental properties of nc-Si:H films. For example, Halindintwali et al [21] investigated the influence of process pressure on film growth and properties of nc-Si:H films by hot wire method. Using in-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry Bauer et al [22] have reported the improvement of the material quality by varying gas pressure during deposition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrogenated Nanocrystalline Silicon Thin Films Prepared by Hot-Wire Method with Varied Process Pressure

Waman

Funde

Kamble

et al. 2011

Journal of Nanotechnology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon films were prepared by hot-wire method at low substrate temperature (200∘C) without hydrogen dilution of silane (SiH4). A variety of techniques, including Raman spectroscopy, low angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, were used to characterize these films for structural and optical properties. Films are grown at reasonably high deposition rates (>15 Å/s), which are very much appreciated for the fabrication of cost effective devices. Different crystalline fractions (from 2.5% to 63%) and crystallite size (3.6–6.0 nm) can be achieved by controlling the process pressure. It is observed that with increase in process pressure, the hydrogen bonding in the films shifts from Si–H to Si–H2and(Si–H2)ncomplexes. The band gaps of the films are found in the range 1.83–2.11 eV, whereas the hydrogen content remains <9 at.% over the entire range of process pressure studied. The ease of depositing films with tunable band gap is useful for fabrication of tandem solar cells. A correlation between structural and optical properties has been found and discussed in detail.

show abstract

Synthesis of nanocrystalline silicon thin films using the increase of the deposition pressure in the hot-wire chemical vapour deposition technique

Cited by 5 publications

References 19 publications

Nonclassical Crystallization in Low-Temperature Deposition of Crystalline Silicon by Hot-Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition

Nonclassical Crystallization in Low-Temperature Deposition of Crystalline Silicon by Hot-Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition

Spectroscopy and structural properties of amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon carbide thin films

Hydrogenated Nanocrystalline Silicon Thin Films Prepared by Hot-Wire Method with Varied Process Pressure

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About