Aluminum and gold induced crystallization of amorphous silicon, investigation of electrical and absorption properties

Samples in structures of glass / Al / a-Si:H and glass / Au / a-Si:H were produced. The deposition of 100 nm a-Si:H layer was done in a PECVD system on glass substrates coated with 65 nm aluminum and 20 nm gold. Metal coatings on glass substrates were done in a thermal evaporation system. Crystallization of amorphous silicon was performed by metal induced crystallization (MIC) method by annealing the samples at temperatures between 250 and 430 oC and for the intervals between 1 and 12 hours. Raman spectroscopy was used for the structural analysis of the samples. Optical transmittivity and reflectivity measurements were performed for the analysis of the optical properties. Resistivity and Hall effect measurements were done with the four-point probe method for the electrical properties. The formation of nanocrystalline silicon structures was observed by structural analysis, two-phase absorption in the optical absorption spectrum calculated with optical transmittance and reflectivity measurements, and mobility values between 1 – 800 cm2/V∙s with electrical measurements.