FABRICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SIZE-CONTROLLED AND PATTERNED nc-Si DOTS

A new method of phase-modulated excimer laser crystallization is adopted to fabricate the patterned nanometer-sized crystalline silicon (nc-Si) dots within the sandwiched structure (a-SiN_x:H/a-Si:H/a-SiN_x:H) films. The results of transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction and Raman scattering show the ultra-thin and single-layer nc-Si films were patterned in the lateral direction and the size of crystallites is controlled by the thickness of as-deposited a-Si film in the longitudinal direction. The effects of the laser energy density on the structures of the samples and the crystallization mechanism are discussed.     

Thermal annealing of a-Si:H/a-SiNx:H multilayers

The crystallinity of Si/SiN_x multilayers annealed by a rapid thermal process and furnace annealing is investigated by a Raman-scattering technique and transmission electron microscopy. It is found that the crystallization temperature varies from 900 °C to 1000 °C when the thickness of a-Si:H decreases from 4.0 nm to 2.0 nm. Raman measurements imply that the high crystallization temperature for the a-Si:H sublayers originates from the confinement modulated by the interfaces between a-Si:H and a-SiN_x:H. In addition to the annealing temperature, the thermal process also plays an important role in crystallization of a-Si sublayers. The a-Si:H sublayers thinner than 4.0 nm can not be crystallized by furnace annealing for 30 min, even when the annealing temperature is as high as 1000 °C. In contrast, rapid thermal annealing is advantageous for nucleation and crystallization. The origin of process-dependent crystallization in constrained a-Si:H is briefly discussed. Received: 11 April 2001 / Accepted: 20 June 2001 / Published online: 30 August 2001     

尺寸可控的纳米硅的生长模型和实验验证

基于经典热力学理论，对a-SiN_x/a-Si:H/a-SiN_x三明治结构或a-Si:H/a-SiN_x多层膜结构中纳米硅成核，以及从球形到鼓形的生长过程进行了研究. 建立了限制性晶化理论模型：在纳米硅生长过程中，由于界面能增大将导致生长停止，给出限制性晶化条件——a-Si:H子层厚度小于34 nm. 在激光晶化和常规热退火两种方法形成的a-SiN_x/nc-Si/a-SiN_x三明治结构和nc-Si/a-SiN_x多层膜结构中验证了该理论模型. 关键词： 非晶硅 纳米硅 激光辐照 结晶     

激光干涉结晶技术制备二维有序分布纳米硅阵列

利用结合移相光栅掩模 (PSGM) 的激光结晶技术在超薄a-SiN_x/a-Si:H/ a-SiN _x三明治结构样品中制备出二维有序分布的纳米硅阵列.原始样品是用等离子体 增强化学气相淀积法生长.a-Si:H层厚为10nm，a-SiN_x 为50nm，衬底材料为SiO ₂/Si或 熔凝石英.原子力显微镜、剖面透射电子显微镜、高分辨透射电子显微镜对样品表面形貌和 微结构的观测结果表明，采用该方法可以在原始淀积的a-Si:H层中得到位置可控的晶化区域 ：每个晶化区域直径约250nm，具有同PSGM一致的2μm周期；晶化区域内形成的纳米硅 颗粒尺寸接近原始淀积的a-Si:H层厚，且晶粒的择优取向为<111>. 关键词： 纳米硅 激光结晶 定域晶化 移相光栅     

The charge storage of the nc—Si layer

Sandwiched structures (a-SiN_x/a-Si/a-SiN_x) have been fabricated by the plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition technique. A Si nanocrystal (nc-Si) layer was formed by crystallization of an a-Si layer according to the constrained crystallization principle after quasi-static thermal annealing at 1100℃ for 30 min. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman scattering spectroscopy clearly demonstrated that nc-Si grains were formed in the as-deposited a-Si layer after annealing. The density of nc-Si grains is about 10¹¹cm^-2 as shown by TEM photographs. Using capacitance－voltage (C－V) measurements we investigated the electrical characteristics of the sandwiched structures. The charge storage phenomenon of the nc-Si layer was observed from the shift of flat-band voltage (V_FB) in C－V curves at a high frequency (1 MHz). We estimated the density of nc-Si grains to be about 10¹¹cm^-2 from the shift value of V_FB, which is in agreement with the result of TEM photographs. At the same time, we found that the shift of V_FB increased with the increase of the applied constant dc voltage or the thickness of the nc-Si layer.     

a-Si:H/a-SiNx:H超晶格的掺杂效应

采用带有可转动掩板的沉积系统,合成出一类新的a-Si:H/掺杂a-SiN_x:H超晶格。样品中各子层厚度及a-SiN_x:H子层中N/Si比固定,仅改变掺杂浓度。结果发现:此类超晶格中的费密能级可以通过a-SiN_x:H层中的掺杂来控制,即a-Si:H/a-SiN_x:H超晶格可以从n型转变为p型,依赖于a-SiN_x:H子层中B的掺杂比。然而,a-SiN_x:H子层中P的掺杂对a-Si:H/a-SiN_x:H超晶格传输特性影响并不大。 关键词：     

a-Si∶O∶H薄膜微结构及其高温退火行为研究

以微区Raman散射、X射线光电子能谱和红外吸收对等离子体增强化学气相沉积(PECVD)法制备的氢化非晶硅氧(a-Si∶O∶H)薄膜微结构及其退火行为进行了细致研究.结果表明a-Si∶O∶H薄膜具有明显的相分离结构,富Si相镶嵌于富O相之中,其中富Si相为非氢化四面体结构形式的非晶硅(a-Si),富O相为Si,O,H三种原子随机键合形成的SiO_x∶H(x≈1.35).经1150℃高温退火,薄膜中的H全部释出;SiO_x∶H(x≈1.35)介质在析出部分Si原子的同     

Comparative investigation of unipolar resistance switching effect of Pt/Mg0.6Zn0.4O/Pt devices with different electrode patterns for nonvolatile memory application

In this report, we study crystallization and Raman spectral and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) changes in amorphous and nanocrystalline Si. Micro-Raman spectra combined with TEM show that considerable crystallization occurs in a-Si:H and a-Si(Al) (the structure of aluminum-diffused amorphous Si/Al/c-Si), but no additional crystallization was observed for nc-Si:H, after the exposure to a laser or accelerating electrons. Meanwhile, moving toward lower or higher energy for a-Si:H and nc-Si:H, by contrast, the Raman shift appeared for a-Si(Al) as if it were for single-crystalline Si, in which it remained constant at one energy, as the laser intensity increased or decreased.     

Quantum emission efficiency of nanocrystalline and amorphous Si quantum dots

The paper presents the comparison of emission efficiencies for crystalline Si quantum dots (QDs) and amorphous Si nanoclusters (QDs) embedded in hydrogenated amorphous (a-Si:H) films grown by the hot wire-CVD method (HW-CVD) at the variation of technological parameters. The correlations between the intensities of different PL bands and the volumes of Si nanocrystals (nc-Si:H) and/or an amorphous (a-Si:H) phase have been revealed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) methods. These correlations permit to discuss the PL mechanisms in a-Si:H films with embedded nc-Si QDs. The QD parameters of nc-Si:H and a-Si:H QDs have been estimated from PL results and have been compared (for nc-Si QDs) with the parameters obtained by the XRD method. Using PL and XRD results the relations between quantum emission efficiencies for crystalline (η_cr) and amorphous (η_am) QDs have been estimated and discussed for all studied QD samples. It is revealed that a-Si:H films prepared by HW-CVD with the variation of wire temperatures are characterized by better passivation of nonradiative recombination centers in comparison with the films prepared at the variation of substrate temperatures or oxygen flows.     

nc-Si/SiO2多层膜的制备及蓝光发射

在等离子体增强化学气相淀积(PECVD)系统中，采用a-Si∶H层淀积与原位等离子体氧化相结合的逐层生长的方法成功制备出a-Si∶H/SiO2多层膜 (ML)；利用限制性结晶原理通过两步退火处理使a-Si∶H层晶化获得尺寸可控的nc-Si/SiO2 ML，并观察到室温下的蓝光发射；结合Raman散射和剖面透射电子显微镜技术分析了nc-Si/SiO2 ML的结构特性；通过对晶化样品光致发光谱和紫外-可见光吸收谱的研究，探讨了蓝光发射的起源. 关键词： 纳米硅多层膜 等离子体氧化 蓝光发射 热退火     

氮化硅介质中双层纳米硅薄膜的两级电荷存储

研究镶嵌在超薄非晶氮化硅(a-SiN_x)层之间的双层纳米硅(nc-Si)的电荷存储现象.利用等离子体增强化学气相淀积(PECVD)技术在硅衬底上制备a-SiN_x/a-Si/a-SiN_x/a-Si/a-SiN_x多层薄膜结构.采用常规热退火方法使非晶硅(a-Si)层晶化，形成包含双层nc-Si的金属-氮化物-半导体(MIS)结构.通过电容电压(C-V)特性测量，观测到该结构中由于电荷存储引起的C-V回滞现象，并在室温下成功观察到载流子基于Fowler-Nordheim(F-N)隧穿注入到第一层、第二层nc-Si的两级电荷存储状态.结合电流电压(I-V)特性的测量，对电荷存储的机理进行了深入分析. 关键词： 纳米硅 氮化硅 电容电压法 电流电压法     

a-Si ∶H/SiO2多量子阱材料制备及其光学性能和微结构研究

利用等离子体增强化学气相沉积技术制备了a-Si ∶H/SiO₂多量子阱结构材料.对a-Si ∶H/SiO₂多量子阱样品分别进行了3种不同的热处理,其中样品经1100 ℃高温退火可获得尺寸可控的nc-Si:H/SiO₂量子点超晶格结构,其尺寸与非晶硅子层厚度相当.比较了a-Si ∶H/SiO₂多量子阱材料与相同制备工艺条件下a-Si ∶H材料的吸收系数,在紫外/可见短波段前者的吸收系数明显增大,光学吸收边蓝移,说明该材料 关键词： 多量子阱 量子限制效应 光学吸收 能带结构     

Effects of hydrogen plasma annealing on the luminescence from a-Si:H/SiO2 and nc-Si/SiO2 multilayers

Effects of post-hydrogen plasma annealing (HPA) on a-Si:H/SiO₂ and nc-Si/SiO₂ multilayers have been investigated and compared. It is found that photoluminescence (PL) from hydrogen-passivated samples was improved due to the reduction of non-radiative recombination defects. Some interesting difference is that during HPA, atomic hydrogen can directly passivate defects of a-Si:H/SiO₂, which results in the reappearance of luminescence band at 760 nm, while for nc-Si/SiO₂, hydrogen passivation requires additional thermal annealing after nc-Si/SiO₂ multilayer was treated by HPA. It is indicated that higher atomic mobility is needed to passivate defects at nc-Si/SiO₂ interface compared with a-Si:H/SiO₂ interface.     

激光限制结晶技术制备nc-Si/SiO2多层膜

在等离子体增强化学气相淀积系统中，采用aSi:H层淀积和原位等离子体氧化相结合的逐层生长技术制备了aSi:H/SiO_2多层膜.在激光诱导限制结晶原理基础上，使用KrF准分子脉冲激光为辐照源，对aSi:H/SiO_2多层膜进行辐照，使纳米级厚度的aSi:H子层晶化.Raman散射谱和电子衍射谱的结果表明，经过激光辐照后纳米Si颗粒在原始的aSi:H子层内形成，晶粒尺寸可以根据aSi:H层的厚度精确控制.还研究了样品的光致发光（PL）特性以及激光辐照能量密度对PL性质的影响. 关键词： 脉冲激光 多层膜 限制结晶     

激光干涉结晶法制备一维周期结构的纳米硅阵列

利用激光干涉结晶方法,采用周期为400 nm的一维(1D)移相光栅掩模调制KrF准分子激光器的脉冲激光束斑的能量分布,在不同厚度的超薄氢化非晶硅(a-Si:H)膜内直接制备1D有序纳米硅(nc-Si)阵列.拉曼散射谱表明,样品上呈条状分布的受辐照区域发生晶化.原子力显微镜和透射电子显微镜测试结果表明：1D的nc-Si阵列的周期和移相光栅掩模一样.随着a-Si:H膜厚度从10nm降至4nm,通过控制激光的能量密度,每个周期中nc-Si条状分布区宽度可达到30nm.nc-Si条状分布区的高分辨电子显微镜照片显 关键词： 纳米硅 激光干涉结晶 移相光栅 定域晶化     

发光纳米硅/二氧化硅多层膜的特性与氢气氛退火的影响

利用等离子体增强化学气相沉积法制备了氢化非晶硅/二氧化硅多层膜，通过两步热退火的方法获得了尺寸可控的纳米硅/二氧化硅多层结构，晶粒尺寸约为4nm，在室温下观察到了较强的光致可见发光，其发光峰位于750nm.在此基础上，发现合适的氢气氛退火能有效地提高材料的发光强度.电子顺磁共振实验表明氢气氛退火有效地降低了纳米硅中的非辐射复合中心而导致发光效率的提高.     

a-SiNx/nc-Si/a-SiNx双势垒结构中的电荷隧穿和存储效应

在等离子体增强化学气相沉积系统中利用大氢稀释逐层淀积技术制备nc-Si量子点阵列,用硅烷和氨气混合气体淀积氮化硅层,制备了a-SiN_x/nc-Si/a-SiN_x不对称双势垒结构,其中隧穿和控制a-SiN_x层的厚度分别为3和20 nm.利用电导-电压和电容-电压测量研究结构中的载流子隧穿和存储特性.在同一样品中观测到由于电荷隧穿引起的电导峰和由于电荷存储引起的电容回滞现象.研究结果表明,合理地选择隧穿层和控制栅层的厚度,就能够实现载流子发生共振隧穿进入到nc-Si量子点中,并被保存在nc-Si量子点中. 关键词： nc-Si量子点 电导峰 存储效应     

The p recombination layer in tunnel junctions for micromorph tandem solar cells

A new tunnel recombination junction is fabricated for n–i–p type micromorph tandem solar cells. We insert a thin heavily doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) p + recombination layer between the n a-Si:H and the p hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) layers to improve the performance of the n–i–p tandem solar cells. The effects of the boron doping gas ratio and the deposition time of the p-a-Si:H recombination layer on the tunnel recombination junctions have been investigated. The current-voltage characteristic of the tunnel recombination junction shows a nearly ohmic characteristic, and the resistance of the tunnel recombination junction can be as low as 1.5 ·cm 2 by using the optimized p-a-Si:H recombination layer. We obtain tandem solar cells with open circuit voltage V oc = 1.4 V, which is nearly the sum of the V oc s of the two corresponding single cells, indicating no V oc losses at the tunnel recombination junction.     

a-Si/SiN<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> multilayered light absorber for solar cell

40 alternate a-Si/SiN _x multilayer are incorporated as an absorber layer in a p–i–n solar cell. The device is fabricated using hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) technique. The structure of the multilayer film is examined by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) which shows distinct formation of alternate a-Si and SiN _x layers. The a-Si and SiN _x layers have thickness of ~3.5 and 4 nm, respectively. The photoluminescence (PL) of multilayer film shows bandgap energy of ~2.52 eV, is larger than that of the c-Si and a-Si. Dark and illuminated current–voltage (I–V) characterization of the ML films shows that these ML are photosensitive. In the present work, it is seen that the p–i–n structure with i-layer as ML quantum well (QW) structures show photovoltaic effect with relatively high open-circuit voltage (V _OC). The increment of bandgap energy in PL and high V _OC of the device is attributed to the quantum confinement effect (QCE).     

磷掺杂纳米硅薄膜的研制

用PECVD薄膜沉积方法,成功地制备了磷掺杂纳米硅(nc-Si:H(P))薄膜.用扫描隧道电镜(STM)、Raman散射、傅里叶变换红外吸收(FTIR)谱、电子自旋共振(ESR)、共振核反应(RNR)技术对掺磷纳米硅进行了结构分析,确认了样品的微结构为纳米相结构.掺磷后膜中纳米晶粒的平均尺寸d减小,一般在25—45nm之间,且排列更加有序.掺磷nc-Si:H膜具有较高的光吸收系数,光学带隙在173—178eV之间,和本征nc-Si:H相同.掺杂nc-Si:H薄膜电导率在10^-1关键词：