Standard and electrically detected magnetic resonance in nanocrystalline silicon

We present results from standard and electrically detected magnetic resonance on nanocrystalline silicon from hot-wire and plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition for which the Raman spectra showed the same large crystalline fraction. Based on the fact that dangling bond spin density scales with the sub-band gap absorption coefficient at photon energies <1.1 eV we suggest the introduction of a calibration factor between the dangling bond spin density and the absorption coefficient. The photocarrier mobility–lifetime product and diffusion length increase with decreasing dangling bond spin density and absorption coefficient. The electrically detected magnetic resonance spectra shows no signal in the dark current and a single line when measured by the spin-dependent photocurrent. The experimentally determined g-value of this line is temperature dependent. The quantum-mechanical spin-pair model explains the electrically detected magnetic resonance signal height. From the spin-pair model we determine microscopic parameters, e.g. singlet-decay rate.