FG Experimentalphysik und funktionale Materialien
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Over the past seven decades Si microelectronics have developed rapidly. The success of the growing microelectronic industry is also caused by the expansion of materials in addition to Si. Open challenges are the monolithic integration of group IV devices on Si photonics as well as overcoming the size mismatch between electronic parts in the nm range and photonic parts in the µm scale. In this thesis the future application of GeSn NIs on Si as a photodetector is evaluated. The key element required for high performance optoelectronic devices is the formation of high-quality GeSn nano-islands (NIs), i.e. overcoming growth challenges such as introduction of defects due to lattice and thermal mismatch between GeSn and Si substrate as well as suppression of Sn precipitation caused by the limited solid solubility of Sn in Ge. To achieve high-quality nanostructures, the selective growth of GeSn NIs on Si(001) seeds via molecular beam epitaxy is investigated, exploiting the advantages of nanoheteroepitaxy (NHE), i.e. growth on nano-patterned substrates. The best compromise between selective growth of GeSn on Si nano-pillars at significant higher growth temperature than the eutectic temperature of GeSn and the incorporation of Sn into the Ge lattice was achieved at 600°C. X-ray diffraction studies confirmed the substitutional incorporation of 1.4at.% Sn into the NIs avoiding considerable Si interdiffusion from the substrate. Transmission electron microscopy images have shown that dislocations and stacking faults caused by plastic relaxation of the GeSn NIs are located near the NIs/substrate interface and thus, dislocation-free GeSn NIs can be formed, due to gliding out of the threading arms triggered by the NHE approach.
The high crystal quality of the GeSn NIs, enables the investigation of the bandgap by μ-photoluminescence (PL) analyses, demonstrating the shrinkage of the direct bandgap with increasing Sn content in the quasi-direct semiconductor.
All NIs however feature a β-Sn droplet on their nano-facets. To suppress the out-diffusion of Sn and hence increase the Sn concentration of the GeSn alloy, the GeSn NIs were overgrown with a thin Ge cap layer. The Ge cap successfully hinders the formation of Sn segregates on top of the NIs. Capping at 600 °C and 650°C results in an enrichment of Sn at the surface, forming a GeSn crust with 8±0.5at.% Sn. This wetting layer both enhances the optoelectronic properties of the NI core and exhibits a relatively strong PL emission attributed to direct radiative recombination.
Finally, a first demonstration of a GeSn NIs based photodetector was successful, due to the utilization of Al nano-antennas exhibiting an enhanced light coupling into the GeSn NIs at a wavelength of 700nm. The responsible mechanisms is the local plasmonic field enhancement of the incoming light. The manipulation of the resonance wavelength into the telecommunication regime, i.e. >1550nm, have to be investigated in future studies.
The aim of this work is to study the optical properties of crystal defects in multicrystalline solar silicon and poly-/microcrystalline silicon thin films on glass substrate.
First a setup for photoluminescence imaging on multicrystalline silicon solar wafers was developed. This system is suitable for detecting band-to-band luminescence as well as defect-related luminescence at room temperature on large-scale wafers at different stages of their processing.
Spectroscopic photoluminescence investigations of multicrystalline silicon solar wafers indicated a new intense luminescence line at ≈ 0.91 eV at room temperature. The origin of this line is probably found in a specific grain boundary. Furthermore, luminescence in the region of 0.8 eV was investigated in detail, and it was found that probably oxygen is responsible for a peak at 0.77 eV at 80 K.
Electroluminescence investigations at room temperature at both materials exhibit extended defect structures such as grain boundaries. Furthermore, it can be concluded that electroluminescence imaging in reverse bias mode indicate on serious breakdown points in solar cells, which can lead to destruction of solar cells and modules. By comparing defect-related and reverse bias electroluminescence images, a difference in the spatial distribution of defects emitting D1 radiation and defects emitting light under reverse bias beyond -12 V is detectable.
In addition, there seems to be a correlation in the distribution of non-doping impurities and photoluminescence. Concerning this, vertical slabs of two silicon blocks were examined by means of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and photoluminescence. A correlation of the distributions of interstitial oxygen and the band-to-band luminescence profiles could be found. Additionally, a correlation between D3/D4 luminescence profile and nitrogen distribution in the blocks was observed.
Finally, the growth process, particularly the transition from amorphous to microcrystalline silicon by PECVD, was studied by combined photoluminescence and Raman investigations. Formation of silicon nano-grains was detected by means of photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy.
The aim of this work is to establish tools for optical characterization of defects in thin-film silicon solar cells. This is related to a challenging process of setup adjustments and careful interpretation of the measured raw data because of several artifacts and effects, which are typical for thin films. They are caused by the low layer/sample thickness and the related high impact of interfaces. Therefore, different thin-film samples were investigated to establish a process to correct/minimize these thin-film effects. The possibility of a knowledge transfer from mc-Si wafers with bulk thickness to thin Si films was checked. This would simplify a successful interpretation of the corrected data. Defects in mc-Si were investigated for many decades without the parasitic impact of thin films. Other Si phases, which are limited to thin-film samples, were investigated to learn details about their specific physical properties. These Si phases are amorphous and microcrystalline silicon. Additional to that electroluminescence investigations were performed on mc-Si solar cells. These investigation deals with topics, which are not even understood on bulk materials up to now. This could offer a basic for further knowledge transfers to thin-film Si.