Title: Effect of grain size and hydrogen passivation on the electrical properties of nanocrystalline silicon films

Authors: M.F. Cerqueira, T.V. Semikina, N.V. Baidus, E. Alves

Addresses: Centro de Fisica, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal. ' Centro de Fisica, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal. ' Centro de Fisica, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal. ' Instituto Tecnico Nuclear (ITN), EN 10, 2686-953 Sacavem, Portugal

Abstract: The properties of mixed-phase (nanocrystalline/amorphous) silicon layers produced by reactive RF-sputtering are described. The chemical composition and nanostructure (i.e., Nanocrystal (NC) size and volume fraction) of the films were studied by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) and micro-Raman spectroscopy, respectively. Samples with different fractions of the nanocrystalline phase and NC mean size were produced by changing the deposition parameters, without post-growth annealing. The electrical conductivity of the films, measured as function of temperature, is discussed in relation to their nanostructure.

Keywords: amorphous silicon; nanocrystals; Raman spectroscopy; electrical properties; grain size; hydrogen passivation; nanocrystalline silicon films; nanomaterials; nanotechnology; RF-sputtering; electrical conductivity; nanostructure.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2010.034271

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2010 Vol.39 No.1/2, pp.195 - 204

Published online: 31 Jul 2010 *

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