Effect Of Increasing Growth Rates on Film Properties and Device Performance for DC Glow Discharge Amorphous Silicon

Abstract

AbstractWe have examined the electronic properties of intrinsic amorphous silicon films as a function of deposition rate, and compared these with the performance of companion solar cell p-i-n devices. The device efficiency in the light-soaked state was strongly inversely correlated with growth rate. Film properties were evaluated in both the as-grown and light soaked states using drive-level capacitance profiling and transient photocapacitance spectroscopy. Although deep defect densities measured by drive-level capacitance profiling did not vary significantly between samples, the magnitude of the defect band deduced via transient photocapacitance spectroscopy was well correlated with device performance. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed. Urbach energies were also correlated with film growth rate.