ELECTRICAL MODEL FOR AMORPHOUS CRYSTALLINE HETEROJUNCTION SILICON DIODES (N-A-SI-H/P C-SI)/

Current-voltage characteristics of n-type amorphous/p-type crystalline silicon heterojunction diodes were studied as a function of temperatu re. From the experimental results, a new, physically based, electrical model describing the device's behaviour for forward voltages was deve loped. The proposed model separates the rectifying behaviour from the bulk effects of the amorphous silicon layer and correctly predicts the forward current-voltage characteristic from low to high biases in the whole range of considered temperatures. The temperature dependence of the different circuit parameters is used to characterize both the cur rent transport mechanisms and some physical characteristics of the amo rphous material.