Effect of substrate on hydrogen in and out diffusion from a-Si : H thin films

Date

2007

Authors

Rao, Rui
Kail, F
Roca i Cabarrocas, P

Journal Title

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Publisher

Springer

Abstract

We present a detailed study on the effect of the substrate on the structure and hydrogen evolution from p-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films co-deposited on the grounded and RF electrodes of an asymmetric radio frequency glow discharge reactor, as well as the similar films exposed to an hydrogen plasma. We used spectroscopic ellipsometry and hydrogen evolution measurements to analyze the effects of the substrate, ion energy and hydrogen plasma on the films microstructure, thickness, hydrogen content, hydrogen binding and hydrogen evolution. The hydrogen evolution spectra show a strong substrate dependence. In particular on crystalline silicon substrate, we observe the formation of bubbles. For the various substrates, ion energy and hydrogen plasma treatment do not affect the hydrogen evolution spectra. These results indicate that the action of hydrogen in a-Si:H is modified by the nature of the substrate.

Description

Keywords

Keywords: Hydrogen evolution measurement; Hydrogen plasma; Radio frequency glow discharge reactor; Crystal microstructure; Crystalline materials; Diffusion; Hydrogen; Substrates; Thin films; Amorphous silicon

Citation

Source

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics

Type

Journal article

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Restricted until

2037-12-31