Date of Award
Spring 1981
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
First Advisor
Jaskolski, S. V.
Second Advisor
Joshi, S. G.
Third Advisor
Pietsch, Herbert
Abstract
In the field of amorphous silicon, much effort is currently devoted to understanding the optimum deposition conditions for the fabrication of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), comparable in characteristics to high quality semiconductor material. The goal of this research was to test experimentally, how the parameters of the d.c. glow discharge decomposiiton [sic] of silane influence the electronic parameters of the resultant a-Si:H films and the metal a-Si:H junction. The films deposited in a three electrode system, where the substrate was held on an electrode biased positively with respect to the cathode, were of special interest. A premise for employing this configuration was an ion bombardment and sputtering of the substrates when the film deposition took place on the cathode. Comparison and discussion of the electrical parameters of the films deposited in the three electrode system and in a two electrode system are presented. Also, measured parameters of the photovoltaic Schottky barrier cells fabricated on the a-Si:H films are discussed. These experimental results are compared with theoretical data calculated employing a computer simulation of a metal-amorphous silicon photocell.