Increase of Temperature and Crystallinity during Electrical Switching in Microcrystalline Silicon

Jian Hu; Paul Stradins; Howard M. Branz; Qi Wang; J. R. Weinberg-Wolf; E. C.T. Harley; Chris Lawyer; Brittany Huie; Daxing Han

doi:10.1557/proc-808-a4.25

Increase of Temperature and Crystallinity during Electrical Switching in Microcrystalline Silicon

Jian Hu, Paul Stradins, Howard M. Branz, Qi Wang, J. R. Weinberg-Wolf, E. C.T. Harley, Chris Lawyer, Brittany Huie, Daxing Han

Chemistry and Nanoscience

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

1 Scopus Citations

Abstract

We investigate electrical stressing and switching in hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) by thermal, and optical and electrical measurements of Cr/μc-Si:H/metal thin-film structures. Boron-doped microcrystalline Si films of 30-50 nm thick are deposited by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) on Cr-coated glass at 160°C and contacted with Ag or Al. Switching in devices of size 5 to 30 μm is stimulated by a current-ramp from 10 nA to 50 mA. We find that the voltage across the μc-Si: H devices initially increases logarithmically with current, then saturates at 2-3 V, and finally drops to a low value of 1 to 1.5 V. This drop indicates a permanent decrease of device resistance to below 1 kΩ. During current stressing, the surface temperature increases with the bias current, and the surface reflectivity changes. After switching, a small increase in crystalline fraction can be observed by micro-Raman scattering measurements. The observations suggest electrothermal processes which cause changes in microstructure of the (μc-Si bulk during current stress.

Original language	American English
Pages	459-464
Number of pages	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1557/proc-808-a4.25
State	Published - 2004
Event	Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Silicon Science and Technology - 2004 - San Francisco, CA, United States Duration: 13 Apr 2004 → 16 Apr 2004

Conference

Conference	Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Silicon Science and Technology - 2004
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Francisco, CA
Period	13/04/04 → 16/04/04

NREL Publication Number

NREL/CP-520-37515

Access to Document

10.1557/proc-808-a4.25

Cite this

Hu, J., Stradins, P., Branz, H. M., Wang, Q., Weinberg-Wolf, J. R., Harley, E. C. T., Lawyer, C., Huie, B., & Han, D. (2004). Increase of Temperature and Crystallinity during Electrical Switching in Microcrystalline Silicon. 459-464. Paper presented at Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Silicon Science and Technology - 2004, San Francisco, CA, United States. https://doi.org/10.1557/proc-808-a4.25

@conference{d2b22ccfa9184a7689d34988cd64516a,

title = "Increase of Temperature and Crystallinity during Electrical Switching in Microcrystalline Silicon",

abstract = "We investigate electrical stressing and switching in hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) by thermal, and optical and electrical measurements of Cr/μc-Si:H/metal thin-film structures. Boron-doped microcrystalline Si films of 30-50 nm thick are deposited by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) on Cr-coated glass at 160°C and contacted with Ag or Al. Switching in devices of size 5 to 30 μm is stimulated by a current-ramp from 10 nA to 50 mA. We find that the voltage across the μc-Si: H devices initially increases logarithmically with current, then saturates at 2-3 V, and finally drops to a low value of 1 to 1.5 V. This drop indicates a permanent decrease of device resistance to below 1 kΩ. During current stressing, the surface temperature increases with the bias current, and the surface reflectivity changes. After switching, a small increase in crystalline fraction can be observed by micro-Raman scattering measurements. The observations suggest electrothermal processes which cause changes in microstructure of the (μc-Si bulk during current stress.",

author = "Jian Hu and Paul Stradins and Branz, {Howard M.} and Qi Wang and Weinberg-Wolf, {J. R.} and Harley, {E. C.T.} and Chris Lawyer and Brittany Huie and Daxing Han",

year = "2004",

doi = "10.1557/proc-808-a4.25",

language = "American English",

pages = "459--464",

note = "Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Silicon Science and Technology - 2004 ; Conference date: 13-04-2004 Through 16-04-2004",

}

Hu, J, Stradins, P, Branz, HM, Wang, Q, Weinberg-Wolf, JR, Harley, ECT, Lawyer, C, Huie, B & Han, D 2004, 'Increase of Temperature and Crystallinity during Electrical Switching in Microcrystalline Silicon', Paper presented at Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Silicon Science and Technology - 2004, San Francisco, CA, United States, 13/04/04 - 16/04/04 pp. 459-464. https://doi.org/10.1557/proc-808-a4.25

TY - CONF

T1 - Increase of Temperature and Crystallinity during Electrical Switching in Microcrystalline Silicon

AU - Hu, Jian

AU - Stradins, Paul

AU - Branz, Howard M.

AU - Wang, Qi

AU - Weinberg-Wolf, J. R.

AU - Harley, E. C.T.

AU - Lawyer, Chris

AU - Huie, Brittany

AU - Han, Daxing

PY - 2004

Y1 - 2004

N2 - We investigate electrical stressing and switching in hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) by thermal, and optical and electrical measurements of Cr/μc-Si:H/metal thin-film structures. Boron-doped microcrystalline Si films of 30-50 nm thick are deposited by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) on Cr-coated glass at 160°C and contacted with Ag or Al. Switching in devices of size 5 to 30 μm is stimulated by a current-ramp from 10 nA to 50 mA. We find that the voltage across the μc-Si: H devices initially increases logarithmically with current, then saturates at 2-3 V, and finally drops to a low value of 1 to 1.5 V. This drop indicates a permanent decrease of device resistance to below 1 kΩ. During current stressing, the surface temperature increases with the bias current, and the surface reflectivity changes. After switching, a small increase in crystalline fraction can be observed by micro-Raman scattering measurements. The observations suggest electrothermal processes which cause changes in microstructure of the (μc-Si bulk during current stress.

AB - We investigate electrical stressing and switching in hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) by thermal, and optical and electrical measurements of Cr/μc-Si:H/metal thin-film structures. Boron-doped microcrystalline Si films of 30-50 nm thick are deposited by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) on Cr-coated glass at 160°C and contacted with Ag or Al. Switching in devices of size 5 to 30 μm is stimulated by a current-ramp from 10 nA to 50 mA. We find that the voltage across the μc-Si: H devices initially increases logarithmically with current, then saturates at 2-3 V, and finally drops to a low value of 1 to 1.5 V. This drop indicates a permanent decrease of device resistance to below 1 kΩ. During current stressing, the surface temperature increases with the bias current, and the surface reflectivity changes. After switching, a small increase in crystalline fraction can be observed by micro-Raman scattering measurements. The observations suggest electrothermal processes which cause changes in microstructure of the (μc-Si bulk during current stress.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=12744265209&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1557/proc-808-a4.25

DO - 10.1557/proc-808-a4.25

M3 - Paper

AN - SCOPUS:12744265209

SP - 459

EP - 464

T2 - Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Silicon Science and Technology - 2004

Y2 - 13 April 2004 through 16 April 2004

ER -

Increase of Temperature and Crystallinity during Electrical Switching in Microcrystalline Silicon

Abstract

Conference

NREL Publication Number

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this