The impact of Ge codoping on the enhancement of photovoltaic characteristics of B-doped Czochralski grown Si crystal

J Mater Sci: Mater Electron

Hall

et al. 2014

Silicon is the mainstream material for many nanoelectronic and photovoltaic applications. The understanding of oxygen related defects at a fundamental level is essential to further improve devices, as vacancy-oxygen defects can have a negative impact on the properties of silicon. In the present review we mainly focus on the influence of isovalent doping on the properties of A-centers in silicon. Wherever possible, we make comparisons with related materials such as silicon germanium alloys and germanium. Recent advanced density functional theory studies that provide further insights on the charge state of the A-centers and the impact of isovalent doping are also discussed in detail.

Section: B Germanium Dopingmentioning

confidence: 98%

Vacancy-oxygen defects in silicon: the impact of isovalent doping

J Mater Sci: Mater Electron

Hall

et al. 2014

“…115,116 Ge codoping p-type or n-type dopants affect the photovoltaic properties of Si. [117][118][119][120][121][122][123][124] Considering B codoping Ge improves segregation redistribution of boron during the thermal oxidation of Si and importantly limits the formation of boron-O defects. 118,119 Notably, boron-O defects in solar cells can induce significant degradation of carrier lifetime, leading to a reduction of the energy conversion efficiency of the cell.…”

Section: Ge Doping In Simentioning

confidence: 99%

Oxygen defect processes in silicon and silicon germanium

Chroneos

Applied Physics Reviews

et al. 2015

Silicon and silicon germanium are the archetypical elemental and alloy semiconductor materials for nanoelectronic, sensor, and photovoltaic applications. The investigation of radiation induced defects involving oxygen, carbon, and intrinsic defects is important for the improvement of devices as these defects can have a deleterious impact on the properties of silicon and silicon germanium. In the present review, we mainly focus on oxygen-related defects and the impact of isovalent doping on their properties in silicon and silicon germanium. The efficacy of the isovalent doping strategies to constrain the oxygen-related defects is discussed in view of recent infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory studies.

“…As a result the optoelectronic properties of Si are improving, leading to an enhancement of the performance of polycrystalline Si for applications in solar cells. Ge-doped Si is also used in photovoltaic industry to enhance the conversion efficiency of solar cells [28,29]. Thus it is of technological interest to gather all the relevant information about the impact of the two dopants on the behaviour of radiation defects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Engineering VO, CiOi and CiCs defects in irradiated Si through Ge and Pb doping

Angeletos

J Mater Sci: Mater Electron

et al. 2015

Carbon and oxygen associated defects such as VO, C i O i and C i C s are common in electron irradiated silicon. Their presence can affect the material and electronic properties of Si. A way to limit their impact and understand their behavior is through doping with large isovalent dopants. The aim of the present study is to investigate and compare the effect of Ge and Pb doping on VO, C i O i and C i C s defects in electron irradiated Si mainly by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in conjunction with recent density functional theory calculations. It was determined that the production of these defects is reduced by the presence of the isovalent impurity and more significantly for Pb doping as compared to Ge doping. Upon annealing the conversion to secondary defects (in particular VO to VO 2 and C i O i to C s O 2i ) is also affected by the isovalent dopants. Interestingly, the conversion ratio a VO2 /a VO is reduced with the increase of the isovalent radius, whereas the a CsO2i /a CiOi is enhanced. Theoretical calculations were used to corroborate these findings.