Optical and electrical characterization of crystalline silicon films formed by rapid thermal annealing of amorphous silicon

The effect of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) on n-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films deposited on single-crystal silicon (c-Si) wafers was studied by electrical and optical methods. Deposition of a-Si:H films by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) was optimized for high deposition rate and maximum film uniformity. RTA processed films were characterized by spreading resistance profiling (SRP), Hall effect, spectroscopic ellipsometry, defect etching, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was found that the films processed between 600 °C and 1000 °C were highly crystalline and that the defect density in the films diminished with increasing thermal budget. Junctions formed by the RTA processed n-type a-Si:H films on p-type c-Si wafers were tested for device applicability. It was established that these films can be used as the emitter layer in n⁺p photovoltaic (PV) devices with over 14% conversion efficiency. - Highlights: • Rapid thermal annealing of doped amorphous silicon deposited on single-crystal silicon (c-Si) wafers resulted in highly crystalline films for photovoltaic devices. • As the annealing temperature increased, the electrical and optical properties of the films became increasingly similar to single-crystal silicon. • Annealing temperatures between 500-1000 oC were investigated. Solar cell devices fabricated after annealing at 750 oC were found to be the most suitable compromise between good quality crystalline films and minimal dopant diffusion into the c-Si wafer. • Annealed films were highly conductive without the need for a transparent conducting oxide.