Semi-quantitative methods for studying disorder and hydrogenation in hydrogenated amorphous silicon using Auger lineshape analysis

• Published in: Applied surface science 1997-07, Vol.115 (3), p.252-266
• Main Authors: Lund, C.P, Klauber, C, Jennings, P.J, Cornish, J.C.L, Clare, B.W, Hefter, G.T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Electron impact: auger emission; Exact sciences and technology; Impact phenomena (including electron spectra and sputtering); Physics; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Surface structure and topography; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/S0169-4332(96)01081-1

Simple methods have been developed to enable the X-ray excited silicon L 2,3VV, and the experimentally more difficult L 1L 2,3V, Auger spectra to be treated routinely using numerical debroadening and deconvolution to obtain an indication of the valence band transition densities of states for the surface. A method based on the simplex algorithm has then been applied to enable both the Si L 2,3VV and Si L 1L 2,3V spectra to be decomposed (decoupled) into their component (pp-, sp- and ss-like) peaks. Changes in these components have been compared before and after disordering and hydrogenation of the surface to quantitatively probe the effect of these treatments on the surface valence band densities of states. It is shown that both the L 2,3VV and L 1L 2,3V lines give a simple semi-quantitative method for monitoring hydrogen incorporation in hydrogenated amorphous silicon. Examples of these methods applied to artificially and naturally hydrogenated amorphous silicon surfaces are presented to illustrate their usefulness for studying materials fabricated for use in solar cells.