Tin-Induced Crystallization of Amorphous Silicon Under Pulsed Laser Irradiation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15407/ujpe62.09.0806Keywords:
solar cells, thin films, nanocrystals, silicon, tin, metal-induced crystallizationAbstract
Tin-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon in thin-film Si–Sn–Si structures under the influence of laser irradiation of various types has been studied, by using Raman scattering. The size and concentration dependences of Si nanocrystals on the power of 10-ns and 150-мs laser pulses with a wavelength of 535 or 1070 nm are experimentally measured and analyzed. A possibility of effective tin-induced transformation of silicon in a-Si layers 200 nm in thickness from the amorphous to crystalline phase within 10 ns time interval under the action of laser light pulses is demonstrated. The theoretical calculation of the spatial temperature distribution and its time evolution in the area of the laser beam action is used to interpret the experimental results.
References
M.C. Beard, J.M. Luther, A.J. Nozik. The promise and challenge of nanostructured solar cells. Nature Nanotechn. 9, 951 (2014).
https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2014.292
Z.I. Alferov, V.M. Andreev, V.D. Rumyantsev. Solar photovoltaics: Trends and prospects. Semiconductors 38, 899 (2004).
https://doi.org/10.1134/1.1787110
B. Yan, G. Yue, X. Xu, J. Yang, S. Guha. High efficiency amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon solar cells. Phys. Status Solidi B 207, 671 (2010).
https://doi.org/10.1002/pssa.200982886
N.S. Lewis. Toward cost-effective solar energy use. Science 315, 798 (2007).
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1137014
R. Søndergaard, M. H¨osel, D. Angmo, T.T. Larsen-Olsen, F.C. Krebs. Roll-to-roll fabrication of polymer solar cells. Mater. Today 15, 36 (2012).
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1369-7021(12)70019-6
M. Birkholz, B. Selle, E. Conrad, K. Lips, W. Fuhs. Evolution of structure in thin microcrystalline silicon films grown by electron-cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition. J. Appl. Phys. 88, 4376 (2000).
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1289783
B. Rech, T. Roschek, J. M¨uller, S. Wieder, H. Wagner. Amorphous and microcrystalline silicon solar cells prepared at high deposition rates using RF (13.56 MHz) plasma excitation frequencies. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 66, 267 (2001).
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0927-0248(00)00183-5
M.K. van Veen, C.H.M. van der Werf, R.E.I. Schropp. Tandem solar cells deposited using hot-wire chemical vapor deposition. J. Non. Cryst. Solids 338–340, 655 (2004).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2004.03.071
Y. Mai, S. Klein, R. Carius, H. Stiebig, L. Houben, X. Geng, F. Finger. Improvement of open circuit voltage in micro-crystalline silicon solar cells using hot wire buffer layers. J. Non. Cryst. Solids 352, 1859 (2006).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2005.11.116
H. Li, R.H. Franken, R.L. Stolk, C.H.M. van der Werf, J.K. Rath, R.E.I. Schropp. Controlling the quality of nanocrystalline silicon made by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition by using a reverse H2 profiling technique. J. Non. Cryst. Solids 354, 2087 (2008).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2007.10.046
R. Amrani, F. Pichot, L. Chahed, Y. Cuminal. Amorphous-nanocrystalline transition in silicon thin films obtained by argon diluted silane PECVD. Cryst. Struct. Theory Appl. 1, 57 (2012).
https://doi.org/10.4236/csta.2012.13011
G. Fugallo, A. Mattoni. Thermally induced recrystallization of textured hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon. Phys. Rev. B 89, 045301 (2014).
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.89.045301
O. Nast, A.J. Hartmann. Influence of interface and Al structure on layer exchange during aluminum-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon. J. Appl. Phys. 88, 716 (2000).
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.373727
M. Jeon, C. Jeong, K. Kamisako. Tin induced crystallisation of hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin films. Mater. Sci. Technol. 26, 875 (2010).
https://doi.org/10.1179/026708309X12454008169500
M.A. Mohiddon, M.G. Krishna. Growth and optical properties of Sn–Si nanocomposite thin films. J. Mater. Sci. 47, 6972 (2012).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-012-6647-0
D. Van Gestel, I. Gordon, J. Poortmans. Aluminuminduced crystallization for thin-film polycrystalline silicon solar cells: Achievements and perspective. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 119, 261 (2013).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2013.08.014
A. Mohiddon, G. Krishna. Metal induced crystallization. in Crystallization – Science and Technology, edited by A. Marcello (InTech, 2012), p. 461 [ISBN: 978-953-51-0757-6].
V.V. Voitovych, V.B. Neimash, N.N. Krasko, A.G. Kolosiuk, V.Y. Povarchuk, R.M. Rudenko, V.A. Makara, R.V. Petrunya, V.O. Juhimchuk, V.V. Strelchuk. The effect of Sn impurity on the optical and structural properties of thin silicon films. Semiconductors 45, 1281 (2011).
https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063782611100253
V.B. Neimash, V.M. Poroshin, A.M. Kabaldin, V.O. Yukhymchuk, P.E. Shepelyavyi, V.A. Makara, S.Y. Larkin. Paper abstract microstructure of thin Si–Sn composite films. Ukr. J. Phys. 58, 865 (2013).
https://doi.org/10.15407/ujpe58.09.0865
V. Neimash, V. Poroshin, P. Shepeliavyi, V. Yukhymchuk, V. Melnyk, A. Kuzmich, V. Makara, A.O. Goushcha. Tin induced a-Si crystallization in thin films of Si–Sn alloys. J. Appl. Phys. 114, 213104 (2013).
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4837661
V.B. Neimash, A.O. Goushcha, P.E. Shepeliavyi, V.O. Yukhymchuk, V.A. Dan'ko, V.V. Melnyk, A.G. Kuzmich.Mechanism of tin-induced crystallization in amorphous silicon. Ukr. J. Phys. 59, 1168 (2014).
https://doi.org/10.15407/ujpe59.12.1168
V.B. Neimash, A.O. Goushcha, P.Y. Shepeliavyi, V.O. Yukhymchuk, V.A. Danko, V.V. Melnyk, A.G. Kuzmich. Selfsustained cyclic tin induced crystallization of amorphous silicon. J. Mat. Res. 30, 3116 (2015).
https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2015.251
V. Neimash, P. Shepelyavyi, G. Dovbeshko, A.O. Goushcha, M. Isaiev, V. Melnyk, O. Didukh, A. Kuzmich. Nanocrystals growth control during laser annealing of Sn: (-Si) composites. J. Nanomater. 2016, 1 (2016).
https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7920238
H. Richter, Z.P. Wang, L. Ley. The one phonon Raman spectrum in microcrystalline silicon. Solid State Commun. 39, 625 (1981).
https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-1098(81)90337-9
I.H. Campbell, P.M. Fauchet. The effects of microcrystal size and shape on the one phonon Raman spectra of crystalline semiconductors. Solid State Commun. 58, 739 (1986).
https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-1098(86)90513-2
A. Hiraki. Low temperature reactions at Si/metal interfaces: What is going on at the interfaces? Surf. Sci. Reports 3 (7), 357 (1983).
https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-5729(84)90003-7
S.A. Akhmanov, V.I. Emel'yanov, N.I. Koroteev, V.N. Seminogov. Interaction of powerful laser radiation with the surfaces of semiconductors and metals: Nonlinear optical effects and nonlinear optical diagnostics. Usp. Fiz. Nauk 147, 675 (1985) (in Russian).
https://doi.org/10.3367/UFNr.0147.198512b.0675
R. Burbelo, D. Andrusenko, M. Isaiev, A. Kuzmich. Laser photoacoustic diagnostics of advanced materials with different structure and dimensions. Arch. Metall. Mater. 56, 1157 (2011).
https://doi.org/10.2478/v10172-011-0129-2
R. Burbelo, M. Isaiev, A. Kuzmich. Evolution of temperature distribution in implanted Si-based structures: Pulse mode of laser irradiation. Ukr. J. Phys. 55, 317 (2010).
M. Isaiev, V. Kuryliuk, A. Kuzmich, R. Burbelo. Photothermal transformation in heterogeneous semiconductors structures under its pulse laser irradiation: Role of electron-hole diffusion. Arch. Metall. Mater. 58, 15 (2013).
https://doi.org/10.2478/amm-2013-0173
G. Grimvall. Thermophysical Properties of Materials (The Royal Institute of Technology, 1999) [ISBN: 9780080542867].
G.K.M. Thutupalli, S.G. Tomlin. The optical properties of amorphous and crystalline silicon. J. Phys. C 10, 467 (1977).
https://doi.org/10.1088/0022-3719/10/3/017
S. Adachi, H. Mori. Optical properties of fully amorphous silicon. Phys. Rev. B 62, 10158 (2000).
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.62.10158
D.R. Queen. The Specific Heat of Pure and Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon (Univ. of California, 2011).
B.L. Zink, R. Pietri, F. Hellman. Thermal conductivity and specific heat of thin-film amorphous silicon. Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 55902 (2006).
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.055902
S.P. Rodichkina, L.A. Osminkina, M. Isaiev, A.V. Pavlikov, A.V. Zoteev, V.A. Georgobiani, K.A Gonchar, A.N. Vasiliev, V.Y. Timoshenko. Raman diagnostics of photoinduced heating of silicon nanowires prepared by metal-assisted chemical etching. Appl. Phys. B 121, 337 (2015).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-015-6233-7
M. Isaiev, O. Didukh, T. Nychyporuk, V. Timoshenko, V. Lysenko. Anisotropic heat conduction in silicon nanowire network revealed by Raman scattering. Appl. Phys. Lett. 110, 011908 (2017).
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4973737
O. Plaksin, Y. Takeda, H. Amekura, N. Kishimoto, S. Plaksin. Saturation of nonlinear optical absorption of metalnanoparticle composites. J. Appl. Phys. 103, 114302 (2008).
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2936833
G. Conibeer. Third-generation photovoltaics. Mater. Today 10, 42 (2007).
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1369-7021(07)70278-X
G. Conibeer, I. Perez-Wurfl, X. Hao, D. Di, D. Lin. Si solid-state quantum dot-based materials for tandem solar cells. Nanoscale Res. Lett. 7, 193 (2012).
https://doi.org/10.1186/1556-276X-7-193
V.G. Litovchenko. On some important results in semiconductor surface science obtained in Ukraine during the independence years (1991—2016). Ukr. J. Phys. 62, 80 (2017).
https://doi.org/10.15407/ujpe62.01.0080
V.G. Litovchenko, T.I. Gorbanyuk, V.S. Solntsev, A.A. Evtukh. Mechanism of hydrogen, oxygen and humidity sensing by Cu/Pd-porous silicon-silicon structures. Appl. Surf. Sci. 234, 262 (2004).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2004.05.146
V.G. Litovchenko, T.I. Gorbanyuk, V.S. Solntsev, A.A. Evtukh. Mechanism of hydrogen-containing and oxygen molecules sensing by Pd- and Cu/Pd-porous Si-Si structures. Appl. Surf. Sci. 234, 262 (2004).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2004.05.146
V. Lysenko, J. Vitiello, B. Remaki, D. Barbier, V. Skryshevsky. Nanoscale morphology dependent hydrogen coverage of meso-porous silicon. Appl. Surf. Sci. 230, 425 (2004).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright Agreement
License to Publish the Paper
Kyiv, Ukraine
The corresponding author and the co-authors (hereon referred to as the Author(s)) of the paper being submitted to the Ukrainian Journal of Physics (hereon referred to as the Paper) from one side and the Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, represented by its Director (hereon referred to as the Publisher) from the other side have come to the following Agreement:
1. Subject of the Agreement.
The Author(s) grant(s) the Publisher the free non-exclusive right to use the Paper (of scientific, technical, or any other content) according to the terms and conditions defined by this Agreement.
2. The ways of using the Paper.
2.1. The Author(s) grant(s) the Publisher the right to use the Paper as follows.
2.1.1. To publish the Paper in the Ukrainian Journal of Physics (hereon referred to as the Journal) in original language and translated into English (the copy of the Paper approved by the Author(s) and the Publisher and accepted for publication is a constitutive part of this License Agreement).
2.1.2. To edit, adapt, and correct the Paper by approval of the Author(s).
2.1.3. To translate the Paper in the case when the Paper is written in a language different from that adopted in the Journal.
2.2. If the Author(s) has(ve) an intent to use the Paper in any other way, e.g., to publish the translated version of the Paper (except for the case defined by Section 2.1.3 of this Agreement), to post the full Paper or any its part on the web, to publish the Paper in any other editions, to include the Paper or any its part in other collections, anthologies, encyclopaedias, etc., the Author(s) should get a written permission from the Publisher.
3. License territory.
The Author(s) grant(s) the Publisher the right to use the Paper as regulated by sections 2.1.1–2.1.3 of this Agreement on the territory of Ukraine and to distribute the Paper as indispensable part of the Journal on the territory of Ukraine and other countries by means of subscription, sales, and free transfer to a third party.
4. Duration.
4.1. This Agreement is valid starting from the date of signature and acts for the entire period of the existence of the Journal.
5. Loyalty.
5.1. The Author(s) warrant(s) the Publisher that:
– he/she is the true author (co-author) of the Paper;
– copyright on the Paper was not transferred to any other party;
– the Paper has never been published before and will not be published in any other media before it is published by the Publisher (see also section 2.2);
– the Author(s) do(es) not violate any intellectual property right of other parties. If the Paper includes some materials of other parties, except for citations whose length is regulated by the scientific, informational, or critical character of the Paper, the use of such materials is in compliance with the regulations of the international law and the law of Ukraine.
6. Requisites and signatures of the Parties.
Publisher: Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
Address: Ukraine, Kyiv, Metrolohichna Str. 14-b.
Author: Electronic signature on behalf and with endorsement of all co-authors.










