On a characterization of thin-film silicon

The conventional form of hydrogenated amorphous silicon, prepared through plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, has proven itself to be a useful material for a wide range of device applications. It has been shown that the hydrogen atoms that reside within hydrogenated amorphous silicon are responsible for its favorable electronic properties, these hydrogen atoms passivating the dangling bonds that are present within this material. Unfortunately, these hydrogen atoms are also believed to be responsible for a reversible instability, known as the Staebler-Wronski effect, which occurs within this material upon exposure to light. Given that the concentration of hydrogen atoms within device-quality hydrogenated amorphous silicon is about 50 times greater than the concentration of dangling bonds, one can conclude that there is a great excess of hydrogen atoms within hydrogenated amorphous silicon. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Stephen O'Leary

Student:

Saeed Moghaddam

Partner:

Bare Root Science

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Nanotechnologies

University:

Program: