Monitoring of the growth of microcrystalline silicon by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using in-situ Raman spectroscopy

• Published in: Physica status solidi. PSS-RRL. Rapid research letters 2011-04, Vol.5 (4), p.144-146
• Main Authors: Muthmann, S., Köhler, F., Meier, M., Hülsbeck, M., Carius, R., Gordijn, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced cvd, mocvd, etc.); Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Crystallinity; Deposition; deposition monitoring; Electrodes; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; microcrystalline silicon; Monitoring; PECVD; Physics; Raman; Shields; Silicon; Solar cells; Spectra
• ISSN: 1862-6254; 1862-6270; 1862-6270
• DOI: 10.1002/pssr.201105041

Raman spectra of microcrystalline silicon layers have been recorded in‐situ during growth. The spectra have been collected under realistic conditions for solar cell deposition. To enable these measurements an electrode with an optical feed through has been developed. By using a metallic grid to shield the feed through it is possible to achieve homogeneous deposition of µc‐Si:H at a sufficient optical transmission. In‐situ Raman measurements were carried out during the deposition of a layer with an intentionally introduced gradient in crystallinity that was seen in‐situ as well in reference measurements performed on the same layer ex‐situ. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) This Letter reports about in‐situ Raman measurements during the plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition of microcrystalline silicon. Measurements of the Raman crystallinity of a growing film are compared to depth resolved measurements obtained ex‐situ on an etch crater. The agreement of both techniques shows that in‐situ Raman spectroscopy can be an excellent way to obtain a better understanding and control of the deposition of microcrystalline silicon.