Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering Studies of Microvoids in a-SiC:H and a-Si:H

A. H. Mahan; D. L. Williamson; B. P. Nelson; R. S. Crandall

doi:10.1016/0379-6787(89)90056-2

Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering Studies of Microvoids in a-SiC:H and a-Si:H

A. H. Mahan, D. L. Williamson, B. P. Nelson, R. S. Crandall

Materials, Chemical, and Computational Science Research Operations

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Small microvoids with a radius of gyration between 3.3 and 4.8 Å are found by the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique to exist in both glow discharge a-Si_1-xC_x:H (0 < x < 0.3) and a-Si:H (40 °C < T_s < 250 °C) films. Included in these results are the first observation of microvoids, as detected by SAXS, in device-quality a-Si:H. The volume fraction of microvoids is found to increase from about 0.01 in device-quality a-Si:H to 0.29 for a-SiC:H (x = 0.30) and in a-Si:H to 0.20 for T_s = 40 °C. Tilting experiments indicate that the microvoids are non-oriented (or spherical) in a-SiC:H and are oriented (columnar) in non-device-quality a-Si:H. Results of other measurements made on identically prepared material are included, and the possible origins of these microvoids, the nature of the microvoid surfaces, and how microvoids affect material quality are discussed.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	465-476
Number of pages	12
Journal	Solar Cells
Volume	27
Issue number	1-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0379-6787(89)90056-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/0379-6787(89)90056-2
State	Published - 1989

NREL Publication Number

ACNR/JA-212-11577

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title = "Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering Studies of Microvoids in a-SiC:H and a-Si:H",

abstract = "Small microvoids with a radius of gyration between 3.3 and 4.8 {\AA} are found by the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique to exist in both glow discharge a-Si1-xCx:H (0 < x < 0.3) and a-Si:H (40 °C < Ts < 250 °C) films. Included in these results are the first observation of microvoids, as detected by SAXS, in device-quality a-Si:H. The volume fraction of microvoids is found to increase from about 0.01 in device-quality a-Si:H to 0.29 for a-SiC:H (x = 0.30) and in a-Si:H to 0.20 for Ts = 40 °C. Tilting experiments indicate that the microvoids are non-oriented (or spherical) in a-SiC:H and are oriented (columnar) in non-device-quality a-Si:H. Results of other measurements made on identically prepared material are included, and the possible origins of these microvoids, the nature of the microvoid surfaces, and how microvoids affect material quality are discussed.",

author = "Mahan, {A. H.} and Williamson, {D. L.} and Nelson, {B. P.} and Crandall, {R. S.}",

year = "1989",

doi = "10.1016/0379-6787(89)90056-2",

language = "American English",

volume = "27",

pages = "465--476",

journal = "Solar Cells",

issn = "0379-6787",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

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T1 - Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering Studies of Microvoids in a-SiC:H and a-Si:H

AU - Mahan, A. H.

AU - Williamson, D. L.

AU - Nelson, B. P.

AU - Crandall, R. S.

PY - 1989

Y1 - 1989

N2 - Small microvoids with a radius of gyration between 3.3 and 4.8 Å are found by the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique to exist in both glow discharge a-Si1-xCx:H (0 < x < 0.3) and a-Si:H (40 °C < Ts < 250 °C) films. Included in these results are the first observation of microvoids, as detected by SAXS, in device-quality a-Si:H. The volume fraction of microvoids is found to increase from about 0.01 in device-quality a-Si:H to 0.29 for a-SiC:H (x = 0.30) and in a-Si:H to 0.20 for Ts = 40 °C. Tilting experiments indicate that the microvoids are non-oriented (or spherical) in a-SiC:H and are oriented (columnar) in non-device-quality a-Si:H. Results of other measurements made on identically prepared material are included, and the possible origins of these microvoids, the nature of the microvoid surfaces, and how microvoids affect material quality are discussed.

AB - Small microvoids with a radius of gyration between 3.3 and 4.8 Å are found by the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique to exist in both glow discharge a-Si1-xCx:H (0 < x < 0.3) and a-Si:H (40 °C < Ts < 250 °C) films. Included in these results are the first observation of microvoids, as detected by SAXS, in device-quality a-Si:H. The volume fraction of microvoids is found to increase from about 0.01 in device-quality a-Si:H to 0.29 for a-SiC:H (x = 0.30) and in a-Si:H to 0.20 for Ts = 40 °C. Tilting experiments indicate that the microvoids are non-oriented (or spherical) in a-SiC:H and are oriented (columnar) in non-device-quality a-Si:H. Results of other measurements made on identically prepared material are included, and the possible origins of these microvoids, the nature of the microvoid surfaces, and how microvoids affect material quality are discussed.

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U2 - 10.1016/0379-6787(89)90056-2

DO - 10.1016/0379-6787(89)90056-2

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0024753682

SN - 0379-6787

VL - 27

SP - 465

EP - 476

JO - Solar Cells

JF - Solar Cells

IS - 1-4

ER -

Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering Studies of Microvoids in a-SiC:H and a-Si:H

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