Low temperature mu c-Si film growth using a CaF2 seed layer

This paper describes low temperature thin film Si growth by remote plasma c hemical vapor deposition system for photovoltaic device applications. Using CaF2/glass substrate. we were able to achieve an improved pc-Si film at a low process temperature of 300 degreesC. The muc-Si film on CaF2/glass subs trate shows that a crystalline volume fraction of 65% and dark conductivity of 1.65 x 10(-8) S/cm with the growth conditions of 50 W, 300 degreesC, 88 mTorr, and SiH4/H-2 = 1.2%. XRD analysis on muc-Si/CaF2 /glass showed crys talline film growth in (111) and (220) planes. Grain size was enlarged as l arge as 700 Angstrom for a muc-Si/CaF2/glass structure. Activation energy o f muc-Si film was given as 0.49 eV. The muc-Si films exhibited dark-and pho to-conductivity ratio of 124. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights res erved.