Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T15:10:27.313Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Thermoelectric properties of doped and undoped mixed phase hydrogenated amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon thin films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

James Kakalios
Affiliation:
kakalios@umn.edu, University of Minnesota, Physics, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Yves Adjallah
Affiliation:
adjallah@physics.umn.edu
Charlie Blackwell
Affiliation:
cblack@physics.umn.edu, University of Minnesota, Physics, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Get access

Abstract

The Seebeck coefficient and dark conductivity for undoped, and n-type doped thin film hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), and mixed-phase films with silicon nanocrystalline inclusions (a/nc-Si:H) are reported. For both undoped a-Si:H and undoped a/nc-Si:H films, the dark conductivity is enhanced by the addition of silicon nanocrystals. The thermopower of the undoped a/nc-Si:H has a lower Seebeck coefficient, and similar temperature dependence, to that observed for undoped a-Si:H. In contrast, the addition of nanoparticles in doped a/nc-Si:H thin films leads to a negative Seebeck coefficient (consistent with n-type doping) with a positive temperature dependence, that is, the Seebeck coefficient becomes larger at higher temperatures. The temperature dependence of the thermopower of the doped a/nc-Si:H is similar to that observed in unhydrogenated a-Si grown by sputtering or following high-temperature annealing of a-Si:H, suggesting that charge transport may occur via hopping in these materials.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 MacDonald, D.K.C., Thermoelectricity: An introduction to the principles, Wiley, New York, 1962.Google Scholar
2 Adjallah, Y., Anderson, C., Kortshagen, U., Kakalios, J., J. Appl. Phys. 107 043704 (2010).Google Scholar
3 Blackwell, C., Pi, X., Kortshagen, U., Kakalios, J., Mat. Res. Soc. symp. 1066 155160 (2008).Google Scholar
4 Dyalsingh, Harold. Thermoelectric Effects in Amorphous Silicon. PhD dissertation. (1996).Google Scholar
5 Dyalsingh, H., J. Kakalios Physical Review B. 54 76307633 (1996).Google Scholar
6 Overhof, H., Beyer, W.. Phil. Mag. B 47 377–92 (1983).Google Scholar
7 Fletcher, R., Pudalov, V.M., Radcliffe, A.D.B., Possanzini, C., Semicond. Sci. Technol. 16 386393 (2001).Google Scholar
8 Staebler, D.L., Wronski, C.R., Appl. Phys. Lett. 31 292 (1977).Google Scholar
9 Staebler, D.L., Wronski, C.R., J. Appl. Phys. 51 3262 (1980).Google Scholar
10 Meaudre, R., Meaudre, M., Butté, R., Vignoli, S., Thin Solid Films 366 207210 (2000).Google Scholar
11 Emin, D., Seager, C. H., Quinn, R. K., Phys. Rev. Lett. 28 813816 (1972).Google Scholar
12 Seager, C. H., Emin, D., Quinn, R.K., J. Non Cryst. Solids. 8–10 341346 (1972).Google Scholar
13 Street, R.A., Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge England, 1991.Google Scholar
14 Monroe, D., Band-edge conduction in Amorphous Semiconductors, (1987).Google Scholar
15 Mahan, A. H. and Vanecek, M., International Meeting on Stability of Amorphous Silicon Materials and Solar Cells, 234, 195 (1991).Google Scholar
16 Kwon, D., Cohen, J. D., Nelson, B. P., and Iwaniczko, E., Mat. Res. Soc., 377, 301 (1995).Google Scholar