TY - JOUR

T1 - Formation and study of p–i–n structures based on two-phase hydrogenated silicon with a germanium layer in the i-type region

AU - Krivyakin, G. K.

AU - Volodin, V. A.

AU - Shklyaev, A. A.

AU - Mortet, V.

AU - More-Chevalier, J.

AU - Ashcheulov, P.

AU - Remes, Z.

AU - Stuchliková, T. H.

AU - Stuchlik, J.

PY - 2017/10/1

Y1 - 2017/10/1

N2 - Four pairs of p–i–n structures based on polymorphous Si:H (pm-Si:H) are fabricated by the method of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The structures in each pair are grown on the same substrate so that one of them does not contain Ge in the i-type layer while the other structure contains Ge deposited by molecular-beam epitaxy as a layer with a thickness of 10 nm. The pair differ from one another in terms of the substrate temperature during Ge deposition; these temperatures are 300, 350, 400, and 450°C. The data of electron microscopy show that the structures formed at 300°C contain Ge nanocrystals (nc-Ge) nucleated at nanocrystalline inclusions at the pm-Si:H surface. The nc-Ge concentration increases as the temperature is raised. The study of the current–voltage characteristics show that the presence of Ge in the i-type layer decreases the density of the short-circuit current in p–i–n structures when they are used as solar cells, whereas these layers give rise to an increase in current at a reverse bias under illumination. The obtained results are consistent with known data for structures with Ge clusters in Si; according to these data, Ge clusters increase the coefficient of light absorption but they also increase the rate of charge-carrier recombination.

AB - Four pairs of p–i–n structures based on polymorphous Si:H (pm-Si:H) are fabricated by the method of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The structures in each pair are grown on the same substrate so that one of them does not contain Ge in the i-type layer while the other structure contains Ge deposited by molecular-beam epitaxy as a layer with a thickness of 10 nm. The pair differ from one another in terms of the substrate temperature during Ge deposition; these temperatures are 300, 350, 400, and 450°C. The data of electron microscopy show that the structures formed at 300°C contain Ge nanocrystals (nc-Ge) nucleated at nanocrystalline inclusions at the pm-Si:H surface. The nc-Ge concentration increases as the temperature is raised. The study of the current–voltage characteristics show that the presence of Ge in the i-type layer decreases the density of the short-circuit current in p–i–n structures when they are used as solar cells, whereas these layers give rise to an increase in current at a reverse bias under illumination. The obtained results are consistent with known data for structures with Ge clusters in Si; according to these data, Ge clusters increase the coefficient of light absorption but they also increase the rate of charge-carrier recombination.

KW - VOLUME FRACTION

KW - QUANTUM DOTS

KW - SOLAR-CELLS

KW - GE ISLANDS

KW - FILMS

KW - PHASE

KW - RAMAN

KW - PHOTOLUMINESCENCE

KW - PHOTOCONDUCTIVITY

KW - NANOCRYSTALS

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85030973686&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1134/S1063782617100128

DO - 10.1134/S1063782617100128

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85030973686

VL - 51

SP - 1370

EP - 1376

JO - Semiconductors

JF - Semiconductors

SN - 1063-7826

IS - 10

ER -