Detailed Study of PECVD Silicon Nitride and Correlation of Various Characterization Techniques

Lawerenz, A.; Rzesanke, D.; Borschel, Christian; Schröter, Bernd; Ronning, Carsten; Laades, A.; Blech, M.

doi:10.4229/24theupvsec2009-1cv.4.30

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“…23 The low but still detectable Si−O bond density in the a-SiN x :H films (grown without intentional addition of CO 2 ) most probably originates from an oxidized surface. 38,45,49,50 We also observed that if the vacuum was broken after the a-SiN x :H growth, the subsequently grown precursor layer would delaminate.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…Also, the refractive index of the a-SiN x :H films reduced from 3.2 to 1.57 when N 2 /SiH 4 increased from 50 to 100 indicating an increased nitrogen incorporation in the films. ,, The a-SiN x :H films made with N 2 /SiH 4 = 50 and 60 exhibit n 633 above 2.0, which corresponds to an N/Si content of the films below 1.3 indicating a nitrogen deficiency . The low but still detectable Si–O bond density in the a-SiN x :H films (grown without intentional addition of CO 2 ) most probably originates from an oxidized surface. ,,, We also observed that if the vacuum was broken after the a-SiN x :H growth, the subsequently grown precursor layer would delaminate.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 95%

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Influence of Chemical Composition and Structure in Silicon Dielectric Materials on Passivation of Thin Crystalline Silicon on Glass

Calnan

Gabriel

Rothert

et al. 2015

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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In this study, various silicon dielectric films, namely, a-SiOx:H, a-SiNx:H, and a-SiOxNy:H, grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) were evaluated for use as interlayers (ILs) between crystalline silicon and glass. Chemical bonding analysis using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that high values of oxidant gases (CO2 and/or N2), added to SiH4 during PECVD, reduced the Si-H and N-H bond density in the silicon dielectrics. Various three layer stacks combining the silicon dielectric materials were designed to minimize optical losses between silicon and glass in rear side contacted heterojunction pn test cells. The PECVD grown silicon dielectrics retained their functionality despite being subjected to harsh subsequent processing such as crystallization of the silicon at 1414 °C or above. High values of short circuit current density (Jsc; without additional hydrogen passivation) required a high density of Si-H bonds and for the nitrogen containing films, additionally, a high N-H bond density. Concurrently high values of both Jsc and open circuit voltage Voc were only observed when [Si-H] was equal to or exceeded [N-H]. Generally, Voc correlated with a high density of [Si-H] bonds in the silicon dielectric; otherwise, additional hydrogen passivation using an active plasma process was required. The highest Voc ∼ 560 mV, for a silicon acceptor concentration of about 10(16) cm(-3), was observed for stacks where an a-SiOxNy:H film was adjacent to the silicon. Regardless of the cell absorber thickness, field effect passivation of the buried silicon surface by the silicon dielectric was mandatory for efficient collection of carriers generated from short wavelength light (in the vicinity of the glass-Si interface). However, additional hydrogen passivation was obligatory for an increased diffusion length of the photogenerated carriers and thus Jsc in solar cells with thicker absorbers.

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