Premium
Effect of the Nature of the Hydrogen Bonding on the Light‐Induced Metastable Defects in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Prepared by Radiofrequency Magnetron Sputtering
Author(s) -
Daouahi M.,
Ben Othman A.,
Zellama K.,
Chahed L.,
Essamet M.,
Bouchriha H.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/1521-3951(200206)231:2<373::aid-pssb373>3.0.co;2-j
Subject(s) - sputter deposition , materials science , hydrogen , metastability , amorphous solid , sputtering , silicon , amorphous silicon , analytical chemistry (journal) , photothermal spectroscopy , photoconductivity , optoelectronics , thin film , chemistry , photothermal therapy , crystallography , nanotechnology , crystalline silicon , organic chemistry , chromatography
The effects of the nature of the hydrogen bonding and distribution on light‐induced metastable defects are investigated in detail in a‐Si:H films deposited by radiofrequency magnetron sputtering at high rates (∼15 Å/s) with different hydrogen dilution in the gas phase mixture (Ar + x % H 2 ) ( x = 5–20%). A combination of optical transmission and photothermal deflection spectroscopy measurements, correlated with infrared absorption ones, is used to characterise the samples in their as‐deposited, annealed and light‐soaked states. The results indicate that the increase in the light‐induced density of defects is strongly dependent on the amount of the relative proportion of the polyhydride (Si–H 2 and (Si–H 2 ) n ) groups present in the as‐deposited films, which favour the formation of structural inhomogeneities and increase the disorder. The results also show that optimised films can be elaborated and exhibit better stability than optimised samples elaborated at much lower rates (∼1 Å/s) by other techniques. The results are discussed as a whole in the context of the potential fluctuation model.