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Effects of the flow rate of O 2 annealing ambient on structural and electrical properties of n+ emitter junctions formed using screen‐printed phosphorus diffusion process
Author(s) -
Kim JinSung,
Yun HyungJoong,
Seo MinWoo,
Janardhanam V.,
Ahn KwangSoon,
Choi ChelJong
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.4970
Subject(s) - common emitter , annealing (glass) , volumetric flow rate , materials science , dopant , analytical chemistry (journal) , sheet resistance , chemistry , nanotechnology , composite material , optoelectronics , doping , layer (electronics) , physics , chromatography , quantum mechanics
We have investigated the effects of the flow rate of O 2 annealing ambient on the structural and electrical properties of the emitters with n+/p junctions formed using the screen printing of phosphorus (P) dopant paste, followed by O 2 annealing. The reaction between P‐paste and Si led to the formation of phosphorus silicate glass layer, of which P atoms were mostly segregated in surface and interface regions. The sheet resistance of the screen‐printed n+ emitters formed under O 2 flow rate of 5 l/min (LPM) was lower than that of 1 LPM. The recombination mechanism dominated the current transport in the forward bias regions of the screen‐printed n+ emitter, regardless of O 2 flow rate. The n+ emitter formed under O 2 flow rates of 5 LPM exhibited better rectification behavior with low reverse leakage, as compared with that of 1 LPM. The formation of thicker phosphorus silicate glass film caused by the increase in the O 2 flow rate resulted in the increase in the equilibrium concentration of Si interstitials in bulk Si and provided more P atoms being incorporated in n+/p emitter junction. The increases in maximum concentration of P atoms and junction depth caused by the increase in the O 2 flow rate could be responsible for superior junction quality of n+ emitter formed under O 2 flow rates of 5 LPM. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.