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Device Quality Silicon Carbon Thin Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

Christian Gemmer and
Markus B. Schubert
Christian Gemmer
Affiliation:
Institut für Physikalische Elektronik, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 47, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany email: christian.gemmer@ipe.uni-stuttgart.de
Markus B. Schubert
Affiliation:
Institut für Physikalische Elektronik, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 47, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
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Abstract

We attain good quality hydrogenated silicon carbon films grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Similar to hydrogenated silicon, we observe a characteristic edge of crystallinity at medium hydrogen dilution ratios of the feedstock gases. In the transition regime between amorphous and nanocrystalline phase, our thin films exhibit a remarkable ratio of photocarrier mobility-lifetime product to dark conductivity of 105... 106 cm3A-1 and minimum light-induced degradation. The static index of refraction increases and the resonance energy decreases for films below the onset of crystallinity which points towards a higher compactness of the protocrystalline material. Hence, alloying of hydrogenated silicon with small amounts of carbon leads to the formation of SiC:H layers that feature an optical bandgap of 2.0 eV and simultaneously maintain the superior optoelectronic properties of protocrystalline silicon.

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