Properties of silicon thin films grown by the temperature difference method (TDM)

Author

Thomas, B. ; Muller, G. ; Wilde, P.-M. ; Wawra, H.

Author_Institution

Inst. fur Kristallzuchtung, Berlin, Germany

fYear

1997

fDate

29 Sep-3 Oct 1997

Firstpage

771

Lastpage

774

Abstract

In this paper we describe the temperature difference method (TDM) as a promising technology for the continuous growth of thin film silicon from the solution on large area polycrystalline substrates (10×10 cm²). The thermodynamic driving force of the layer growth by TDM is generated by a temperature gradient perpendicular to the substrate surface. Silicon thin films have been grown from In/Ga-solutions at 980°C. A temperature gradient of 10 K/cm allows a growth rate of 0.3 μm/min. Doping concentrations from 10¹⁶ to 2×10¹⁸ cm^-3 are adjustable. Minority charge carrier life times of 5-10 μs were determined in 30 μm thick layers by TRMC (time resolved microwave conductivity) measurements. Additionally first growth results of Si-LPE on silicon seeded substrates are presented

Keywords

carrier lifetime; elemental semiconductors; high-frequency effects; liquid phase epitaxial growth; minority carriers; semiconductor doping; semiconductor epitaxial layers; semiconductor growth; semiconductor thin films; silicon; solar cells; thermodynamics; 10 cm; 30 mum; 5 to 10 mus; 980 C; LPE; Si; doping concentrations; epitaxial layers; large area polycrystalline substrates; minority charge carrier life times; silicon thin film properties; temperature difference method; temperature gradient; thermodynamic driving force; thin film silicon growth; time resolved microwave conductivity measurements; Charge carriers; Conductivity; Doping; Semiconductor thin films; Silicon; Substrates; Temperature; Thermal force; Thermodynamics; Time division multiplexing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1997., Conference Record of the Twenty-Sixth IEEE

Conference_Location

Anaheim, CA

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3767-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1997.654203

Filename

654203