Staebler-Wronski effect as a function of the Fermi level position and structure of nondoped, amorphous, hydrated silicon

Abstract

The photoconductivity degradation rates γ (σph∼t−γ) of nondoped, amorphous, hydrated silicon films deposited at Ts=300–400 °C and subjected to illumination for 5 h at 300 K (light source 100 mW/cm2, λ<0.9 µm) were investigated. It was shown that the degradation rate γ depends on the preillumination position of the Fermi level ɛc−ɛF and often is not directly related to the hydrogen content in the film. It was found that there are correlations between the value of γ and the bonds in the silicon-hydrogen subsystem [isolated SiH and SiH2 complexes, clusters (SiH)n, and chains (SiH2)n].