Optical properties of protocrystalline silicon/amorphous SiC multilayer films

Abstract

Protocrystalline silicon/amorphous SiC multilayer films were fabricated by helicon wave plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (HW-PECVD). Atom force microscopy, Raman scattering and optical absorption measurements were used to analyze the microstructure and optical properties of the multilayer films. Experiment analyses reveal that through inserting transient a-SiC layer into film depositing process, well-controlled pc-Si:H films have been obtained in the growth condition of the µc-Si:H. The optical gap is observed being tuned from 2.15 to 2.43 eV by varying single pc-Si:H layer thickness. Such multilayer structure should have potential application in constructing high efficiency and stable Sibased solar cells.