Electronic and topographic properties of amorphous and microcrystalline silicon thin films

Abstract

Electronic properties of microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si) thin films prepared by different techniques are presented and compared to that of device-grade, undoped, hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). It is found that whatever the preparation technique, the conductivity of μc-Si is significantly larger and the mobility-lifetime products and ambipolar diffusion lengths of optimised layers can be higher than in a-Si:H. In addition, no light-induced degradation of electronic properties is observed. Local topographic and electrical probing results on μc-Si films are also shown. The surface roughness of μc-Si samples depends on the preparation technique, but a common aging phenomenon in the local electrical probing is found and described.