TY - GEN
T1 - Characterization and comparison of silicon nitride films deposited using two novel processes
AU - Sharma, Vivek
AU - Bailey, Adam
AU - Dauksher, Bill
AU - Tracy, Clarence
AU - Bowden, Stuart
AU - O'Brien, Barry
PY - 2011/12/1
Y1 - 2011/12/1
N2 - Hydrogenated silicon nitride films (SiN x:H) deposited using a PECVD process enhance the performance of crystalline silicon solar cells by functioning as an efficient anti-reflection coating and passivating layer. In this paper, we compared two novel SiN x:H deposition processes using two different PECVD tools - one non-traditional in process regime, and the other non-traditional in type, to determine their suitability to solar cell fabrication. The parameter space was explored by employing a design of experiment methodology followed by material characterization using VASE, reflectance, FTIR and RBS/ERD. The thickness and reflectance of Si-rich films changed dramatically after annealing. Further, FTIR results showed that the Si-H bond peak present at 2160 cm -1 in such films disappeared after a typical Al firing step. Therefore, the optimized films were deposited with a lower SiH 4/NH 3 ratio to minimize the changes in the film properties after annealing.
AB - Hydrogenated silicon nitride films (SiN x:H) deposited using a PECVD process enhance the performance of crystalline silicon solar cells by functioning as an efficient anti-reflection coating and passivating layer. In this paper, we compared two novel SiN x:H deposition processes using two different PECVD tools - one non-traditional in process regime, and the other non-traditional in type, to determine their suitability to solar cell fabrication. The parameter space was explored by employing a design of experiment methodology followed by material characterization using VASE, reflectance, FTIR and RBS/ERD. The thickness and reflectance of Si-rich films changed dramatically after annealing. Further, FTIR results showed that the Si-H bond peak present at 2160 cm -1 in such films disappeared after a typical Al firing step. Therefore, the optimized films were deposited with a lower SiH 4/NH 3 ratio to minimize the changes in the film properties after annealing.
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U2 - 10.1109/PVSC.2011.6186395
DO - 10.1109/PVSC.2011.6186395
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84861070814
SN - 9781424499656
T3 - Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference
SP - 2206
EP - 2211
BT - Program - 37th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2011
T2 - 37th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2011
Y2 - 19 June 2011 through 24 June 2011
ER -