Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 91-97 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells |
| Volume | 158 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 3 Oct 2016 |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2016 |
Abstract
In a series of lifetime experiments, we examine the impact of hydrogen on the permanent deactivation of the boron-oxygen (BO)-related defect center in Czochralski-grown boron-doped silicon. In the first experiment, the hydrogen concentration in the external source is varied by the deposition of dielectric layers containing various hydrogen concentrations (aluminum oxide and silicon nitride layers) before applying a fast-firing step at high temperature (>800 °C). In the second experiment, the sample cooling rate after high-temperature treatment is varied without hydrogen-rich dielectric layer being present and the surface passivation based on aluminum oxide is applied at low temperature afterwards. In both experiments, it is observed that the sample cooling after the high-temperature treatment has the major impact on the dynamics of BO deactivation process and fast cooling rates enable a fast deactivation. No direct impact of the hydrogen content in the dielectric layers being present during the fast-firing step on the dynamics of the BO deactivation is observed. However, the highest lifetimes in excess of 1 ms are only achievable when a hydrogenation step is performed, which we interpret in terms of a hydrogen passivation of background defects of hitherto unknown nature. In a third experiment, we apply an organic passivation layer by spin-coating, which is dried at low temperature (130 °C). We find in this experiment that even without any hydrogen intentionally introduced into the silicon bulk, an effective deactivation of the BO center can be observed, clearly supporting that no hydrogen is required to enable the BO deactivation.
Keywords
- Boron-oxygen-related defect, Czochralski-grown silicon, Lifetime, Permanent deactivation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science(all)
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Energy(all)
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Materials Science(all)
- Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 158, No. 1, 12.2016, p. 91-97.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of hydrogen on the permanent deactivation of the boron-oxygen-related recombination center in crystalline silicon
AU - Walter, Dominic
AU - Schmidt, Jan
N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank R. Falster, V. Voronkov (both SunEdison) and B. Lim (now with SERIS) for many fruitful discussions, and the State of Lower Saxony for funding.
PY - 2016/12
Y1 - 2016/12
N2 - In a series of lifetime experiments, we examine the impact of hydrogen on the permanent deactivation of the boron-oxygen (BO)-related defect center in Czochralski-grown boron-doped silicon. In the first experiment, the hydrogen concentration in the external source is varied by the deposition of dielectric layers containing various hydrogen concentrations (aluminum oxide and silicon nitride layers) before applying a fast-firing step at high temperature (>800 °C). In the second experiment, the sample cooling rate after high-temperature treatment is varied without hydrogen-rich dielectric layer being present and the surface passivation based on aluminum oxide is applied at low temperature afterwards. In both experiments, it is observed that the sample cooling after the high-temperature treatment has the major impact on the dynamics of BO deactivation process and fast cooling rates enable a fast deactivation. No direct impact of the hydrogen content in the dielectric layers being present during the fast-firing step on the dynamics of the BO deactivation is observed. However, the highest lifetimes in excess of 1 ms are only achievable when a hydrogenation step is performed, which we interpret in terms of a hydrogen passivation of background defects of hitherto unknown nature. In a third experiment, we apply an organic passivation layer by spin-coating, which is dried at low temperature (130 °C). We find in this experiment that even without any hydrogen intentionally introduced into the silicon bulk, an effective deactivation of the BO center can be observed, clearly supporting that no hydrogen is required to enable the BO deactivation.
AB - In a series of lifetime experiments, we examine the impact of hydrogen on the permanent deactivation of the boron-oxygen (BO)-related defect center in Czochralski-grown boron-doped silicon. In the first experiment, the hydrogen concentration in the external source is varied by the deposition of dielectric layers containing various hydrogen concentrations (aluminum oxide and silicon nitride layers) before applying a fast-firing step at high temperature (>800 °C). In the second experiment, the sample cooling rate after high-temperature treatment is varied without hydrogen-rich dielectric layer being present and the surface passivation based on aluminum oxide is applied at low temperature afterwards. In both experiments, it is observed that the sample cooling after the high-temperature treatment has the major impact on the dynamics of BO deactivation process and fast cooling rates enable a fast deactivation. No direct impact of the hydrogen content in the dielectric layers being present during the fast-firing step on the dynamics of the BO deactivation is observed. However, the highest lifetimes in excess of 1 ms are only achievable when a hydrogenation step is performed, which we interpret in terms of a hydrogen passivation of background defects of hitherto unknown nature. In a third experiment, we apply an organic passivation layer by spin-coating, which is dried at low temperature (130 °C). We find in this experiment that even without any hydrogen intentionally introduced into the silicon bulk, an effective deactivation of the BO center can be observed, clearly supporting that no hydrogen is required to enable the BO deactivation.
KW - Boron-oxygen-related defect
KW - Czochralski-grown silicon
KW - Lifetime
KW - Permanent deactivation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84971596820&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.solmat.2016.05.025
DO - 10.1016/j.solmat.2016.05.025
M3 - Article
VL - 158
SP - 91
EP - 97
JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
JF - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
SN - 0927-0248
IS - 1
ER -