Quantum confinement in mixed phase silicon thin films grown by co-deposition plasma processing

J. D. Fields; S. McMurray; L. R. Wienkes; J. Trask; C. Anderson; P. L. Miller; B. J. Simonds; J. Kakalios; U. Kortshagen; M. T. Lusk; R. T. Collins; P. C. Taylor

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2013.10.028

Quantum confinement in mixed phase silicon thin films grown by co-deposition plasma processing

J. D. Fields, S. McMurray, L. R. Wienkes, J. Trask, C. Anderson, P. L. Miller, B. J. Simonds, J. Kakalios, U. Kortshagen, M. T. Lusk, R. T. Collins, P. C. Taylor

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mixed phase, hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin films grown by co-deposition (nanocrystals and amorphous material deposited sequentially in the same vacuum system) demonstrate pronounced quantum confinement effects. Based on photoluminescence measurements of co-deposited samples, we find evidence that the optical gap of nanocrystals embedded in hydrogenated amorphous silicon is increased to energies exceeding bulk crystalline silicon values - at least as high as 1.35 eV. The broad spectrum of emission of the nanocrystals is attributed to the size distribution and local fluctuations in matrix hydrogenation. The temperature dependence of this PL suggests that these nanocrystals possess fewer defects than those grown by conventional plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition methods. Interactions between electronic states in nanocrystals and localized states in amorphous silicon matrix tissues are discussed in terms of their role in determining the strength of the quantum confinement potential.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	7-12
Number of pages	6
Journal	Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
Volume	129
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2013.10.028
State	Published - Oct 2014

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work acknowledges primary funding through the Center for Advanced Solar Photophysics, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, and Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) . Authors M.T. Lusk, R.T Collins, and P.C. Taylor acknowledge funding through the Renewable Energy MRSEC at Colorado School of Mines, under NSF Contract no. DMR 0820518 , and funding under DOE SunShot award DE-EE0005326 . The University of Minnesota authors acknowledge support by NSF Grant DMR-0705675 , an Xcel Energy Grant under RDF Contract no. #RD3-25 , the NINN Characterization Facility and the Nanofabrication Center . Finally, we thank our colleagues at United Solar Ovonics, Inc., for a long standing collaboration in synthesis and characterization activities concerning a/nc-Si:H materials. Finally, the authors are pleased to dedicate this work to the memory of Professor J. David Cohen whose many important contributions to our understanding of defects in semiconductors are both significant and lasting.

Keywords

Nanocrystalline silicon
Nanostructures
Photoluminescence
Photovoltaics
Quantum confinement

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.solmat.2013.10.028

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Fields, J. D., McMurray, S., Wienkes, L. R., Trask, J., Anderson, C., Miller, P. L., Simonds, B. J., Kakalios, J., Kortshagen, U., Lusk, M. T., Collins, R. T., & Taylor, P. C. (2014). Quantum confinement in mixed phase silicon thin films grown by co-deposition plasma processing. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 129, 7-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2013.10.028

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title = "Quantum confinement in mixed phase silicon thin films grown by co-deposition plasma processing",

abstract = "Mixed phase, hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin films grown by co-deposition (nanocrystals and amorphous material deposited sequentially in the same vacuum system) demonstrate pronounced quantum confinement effects. Based on photoluminescence measurements of co-deposited samples, we find evidence that the optical gap of nanocrystals embedded in hydrogenated amorphous silicon is increased to energies exceeding bulk crystalline silicon values - at least as high as 1.35 eV. The broad spectrum of emission of the nanocrystals is attributed to the size distribution and local fluctuations in matrix hydrogenation. The temperature dependence of this PL suggests that these nanocrystals possess fewer defects than those grown by conventional plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition methods. Interactions between electronic states in nanocrystals and localized states in amorphous silicon matrix tissues are discussed in terms of their role in determining the strength of the quantum confinement potential.",

keywords = "Nanocrystalline silicon, Nanostructures, Photoluminescence, Photovoltaics, Quantum confinement",

author = "Fields, {J. D.} and S. McMurray and Wienkes, {L. R.} and J. Trask and C. Anderson and Miller, {P. L.} and Simonds, {B. J.} and J. Kakalios and U. Kortshagen and Lusk, {M. T.} and Collins, {R. T.} and Taylor, {P. C.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work acknowledges primary funding through the Center for Advanced Solar Photophysics, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, and Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) . Authors M.T. Lusk, R.T Collins, and P.C. Taylor acknowledge funding through the Renewable Energy MRSEC at Colorado School of Mines, under NSF Contract no. DMR 0820518 , and funding under DOE SunShot award DE-EE0005326 . The University of Minnesota authors acknowledge support by NSF Grant DMR-0705675 , an Xcel Energy Grant under RDF Contract no. #RD3-25 , the NINN Characterization Facility and the Nanofabrication Center . Finally, we thank our colleagues at United Solar Ovonics, Inc., for a long standing collaboration in synthesis and characterization activities concerning a/nc-Si:H materials. Finally, the authors are pleased to dedicate this work to the memory of Professor J. David Cohen whose many important contributions to our understanding of defects in semiconductors are both significant and lasting. ",

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doi = "10.1016/j.solmat.2013.10.028",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - Quantum confinement in mixed phase silicon thin films grown by co-deposition plasma processing

AU - Fields, J. D.

AU - McMurray, S.

AU - Wienkes, L. R.

AU - Trask, J.

AU - Anderson, C.

AU - Miller, P. L.

AU - Simonds, B. J.

AU - Kakalios, J.

AU - Kortshagen, U.

AU - Lusk, M. T.

AU - Collins, R. T.

AU - Taylor, P. C.

N1 - Funding Information: This work acknowledges primary funding through the Center for Advanced Solar Photophysics, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science, and Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) . Authors M.T. Lusk, R.T Collins, and P.C. Taylor acknowledge funding through the Renewable Energy MRSEC at Colorado School of Mines, under NSF Contract no. DMR 0820518 , and funding under DOE SunShot award DE-EE0005326 . The University of Minnesota authors acknowledge support by NSF Grant DMR-0705675 , an Xcel Energy Grant under RDF Contract no. #RD3-25 , the NINN Characterization Facility and the Nanofabrication Center . Finally, we thank our colleagues at United Solar Ovonics, Inc., for a long standing collaboration in synthesis and characterization activities concerning a/nc-Si:H materials. Finally, the authors are pleased to dedicate this work to the memory of Professor J. David Cohen whose many important contributions to our understanding of defects in semiconductors are both significant and lasting.

PY - 2014/10

Y1 - 2014/10

N2 - Mixed phase, hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin films grown by co-deposition (nanocrystals and amorphous material deposited sequentially in the same vacuum system) demonstrate pronounced quantum confinement effects. Based on photoluminescence measurements of co-deposited samples, we find evidence that the optical gap of nanocrystals embedded in hydrogenated amorphous silicon is increased to energies exceeding bulk crystalline silicon values - at least as high as 1.35 eV. The broad spectrum of emission of the nanocrystals is attributed to the size distribution and local fluctuations in matrix hydrogenation. The temperature dependence of this PL suggests that these nanocrystals possess fewer defects than those grown by conventional plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition methods. Interactions between electronic states in nanocrystals and localized states in amorphous silicon matrix tissues are discussed in terms of their role in determining the strength of the quantum confinement potential.

AB - Mixed phase, hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon thin films grown by co-deposition (nanocrystals and amorphous material deposited sequentially in the same vacuum system) demonstrate pronounced quantum confinement effects. Based on photoluminescence measurements of co-deposited samples, we find evidence that the optical gap of nanocrystals embedded in hydrogenated amorphous silicon is increased to energies exceeding bulk crystalline silicon values - at least as high as 1.35 eV. The broad spectrum of emission of the nanocrystals is attributed to the size distribution and local fluctuations in matrix hydrogenation. The temperature dependence of this PL suggests that these nanocrystals possess fewer defects than those grown by conventional plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition methods. Interactions between electronic states in nanocrystals and localized states in amorphous silicon matrix tissues are discussed in terms of their role in determining the strength of the quantum confinement potential.

KW - Nanocrystalline silicon

KW - Nanostructures

KW - Photoluminescence

KW - Photovoltaics

KW - Quantum confinement

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JO - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

JF - Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

ER -

Quantum confinement in mixed phase silicon thin films grown by co-deposition plasma processing

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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