Efficient passivation of n-type and p-type silicon surface defects by hydrogen sulfide gas reaction

Author(s)Das, U. K.
Author(s)Theisen, R.
Author(s)Hua, A.
Author(s)Upadhyaya, A.
Author(s)Lam, I.
Author(s)Mouri, T. K.
Author(s)Jiang, N.
Author(s)Hauschild, D.
Author(s)Weinhardt, L.
Author(s)Yang, W.
Author(s)Rohatgi, A.
Author(s)Heske, C.
Date Accessioned2022-08-01T17:46:47Z
Date Available2022-08-01T17:46:47Z
Publication Date2021-09-03
DescriptionThis is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication/published in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record is available online at https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-648X/ac1ec8. This article will be embargoed until 09/03/2022.en_US
AbstractAn efficient surface defect passivation is observed by reacting clean Si in a dilute hydrogen sulfide–argon gas mixture (<5% H2S in Ar) for both n-type and p-type Si wafers with planar and textured surfaces. Surface recombination velocities of 1.5 and 8 cm s−1 are achieved on n-type and p-type Si wafers, respectively, at an optimum reaction temperature of 550 °C that are comparable to the best surface passivation quality used in high efficiency Si solar cells. Surface chemical analysis using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that sulfur is primarily bonded in a sulfide environment, and synchrotron-based soft x-ray emission spectroscopy of the adsorbed sulfur atoms suggests the formation of S–Si bonds. The sulfur surface passivation layer is unstable in air, attributed to surface oxide formation and a simultaneous decrease of sulfide bonds. However, the passivation can be stabilized by a low-temperature (300 °C) deposited amorphous silicon nitride (a-Si:NX:H) capping layer.en_US
SponsorAuthors thank Professor William Shafarman of Institute of Energy Conversion for many helpful discussions about surface reactions by hydrogen sulfide. This work is supported by the US Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) Agreement Number DE-EE0008554. The synchrotron-based research of this study used resources of the Advanced Light Source, a US DOE Office of Science User Facility under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.en_US
CitationDas, U K, R Theisen, A Hua, A Upadhyaya, I Lam, T K Mouri, N Jiang, et al. “Efficient Passivation of N-Type and p-Type Silicon Surface Defects by Hydrogen Sulfide Gas Reaction.” Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 33, no. 46 (September 3, 2021): 464002. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-648X/ac1ec8.en_US
ISSN1361-648X
URLhttps://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/31157
Languageen_USen_US
PublisherJournal of Physics: Condensed Matteren_US
Keywordssiliconen_US
Keywordssurface passivationen_US
Keywordshydrogen sulfide reactionen_US
Keywordsphotoelectron spectroscopyen_US
TitleEfficient passivation of n-type and p-type silicon surface defects by hydrogen sulfide gas reactionen_US
TypeArticleen_US
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