EBIC study of electron generation function in a-Si:H.
The electron beam induced current technique was used to study electron energy loss in amorphous hydrogenated silicon a-Si:H. This study leads to the determination of the electron generation function which is needed when using the variable energy electron beam induced current technique (EBIC) analysis of a-Si:H device. A series of identical n-i-p a-Si:H diodes with a thin aluminium top electrodes were fabricated and varying thicknesses of a-Si:H layer were deposited on it. In EBIC measurements, the n-i-p diode was reverse biased at maximum potential. The electron range of a-Si:H was determined directly by measuring the energy at which the electron beam is completely stopped in the top layer and no carrier generation is possible in the n-i-p diode. The generation function is then deduced from EBIC contrast measurements between the aluminium electrode and the top a-Si:H layer.
Najar
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Laboratoire de Physique des Interfaces et des Couches Minces, Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France.
Equer
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D004583:Electrons; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods*; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
D017655:Silicon Compounds