High-Current-Density Thin-Film Silicon Diodes Grown at Low Temperature

The fabrication of high-performance thin-film silicon n-i-p diodes at temperatures below 160°C was described using hot-wire chemical vapor deposition technique. A 30 nm intrinsic Si buffer layer between the i and p layers was needed to reduce the reverse leakage current. It was observed that the minimization of diode area increases forward current density by reducing the voltage drop across the external series resistances. It was found that the use of microcrystalline silicon i and n layers results in the higher current-density diodes with respect to amorphous silicon.