Amorphous Silicon Technology 1996: Volume 420


Book Description

This book from the highly successful series on amorphous-silicon science and devices reflects the increasing range of applications for a-Si technology. Advances in solar cells incorporating microcrystalline silicon absorber layers are discussed, and a new manufacturing facility for amorphous-silicon-based tandem solar cells is highlighted. Progress towards realizing both higher resolution and improved visibility in active-matrix liquid crystal displays is featured. And while work on raising the deposition rate for amorphous-silicon transistors is also outlined, it is expected that advances in devices and manufacturing will be accelerated when several fundamental puzzles regarding amorphous silicon's structure and optoelectronic properties are resolved. Topics include: solar cells; thin-film transistors and flat-panel displays; sensors, detectors and novel devices; device physics; deposition technologies; studies of growth processes; hydrogen and structure a-Si:H; defects and equilibration in a-Si:H; fundamental issues in defect processes; transport and recombination processes; thin films for photovoltaic and related device applications.




Amorphous and Microcrystalline Silicon Solar Cells: Modeling, Materials and Device Technology


Book Description

Amorphous silicon solar cell technology has evolved considerably since the first amorphous silicon solar cells were made at RCA Laboratories in 1974. Scien tists working in a number of laboratories worldwide have developed improved alloys based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon and microcrystalline silicon. Other scientists have developed new methods for growing these thin films while yet others have developed new photovoltaic (PV) device structures with im proved conversion efficiencies. In the last two years, several companies have constructed multi-megawatt manufacturing plants that can produce large-area, multijunction amorphous silicon PV modules. A growing number of people be lieve that thin-film photovoltaics will be integrated into buildings on a large scale in the next few decades and will be able to make a major contribution to the world's energy needs. In this book, Ruud E. I. Schropp and Miro Zeman provide an authoritative overview of the current status of thin film solar cells based on amorphous and microcrystalline silicon. They review the significant developments that have occurred during the evolution of the technology and also discuss the most im portant recent innovations in the deposition of the materials, the understanding of the physics, and the fabrication and modeling of the devices.




Technology and Applications of Amorphous Silicon


Book Description

This book gives the first systematic and complete survey of technology and application of amorphous silicon, a material with a huge potential in electronic applications. The book features contributions by world-wide leading researchers in this field.




Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon


Book Description

Divided roughly into two parts, the book describes the physical properties and device applications of hydrogenated amorphous silicon. The first section is concerned with the atomic and electronic structure, and covers growth defects and doping and defect reactions. The emphasis is on the optical and electronic properties that result from the disordered structure. The second part of the book describes electronic conduction, recombination, interfaces, and multilayers. The special attribute of a-Si:H which makes it useful is the ability to deposit the material inexpensively over large areas, while retaining good semiconducting properties, and the final chapter discusses various applications and devices.










Physics and Technology of Amorphous-Crystalline Heterostructure Silicon Solar Cells


Book Description

Today’s solar cell multi-GW market is dominated by crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafer technology, however new cell concepts are entering the market. One very promising solar cell design to answer these needs is the silicon hetero-junction solar cell, of which the emitter and back surface field are basically produced by a low temperature growth of ultra-thin layers of amorphous silicon. In this design, amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) constitutes both „emitter“ and „base-contact/back surface field“ on both sides of a thin crystalline silicon wafer-base (c-Si) where the electrons and holes are photogenerated; at the same time, a-Si:H passivates the c-Si surface. Recently, cell efficiencies above 23% have been demonstrated for such solar cells. In this book, the editors present an overview of the state-of-the-art in physics and technology of amorphous-crystalline heterostructure silicon solar cells. The heterojunction concept is introduced, processes and resulting properties of the materials used in the cell and their heterointerfaces are discussed and characterization techniques and simulation tools are presented.




Silicon-Based Material and Devices, Two-Volume Set


Book Description

This book covers a broad spectrum of the silicon-based materials and their device applications. This book provides a broad coverage of the silicon-based materials including different kinds of silicon-related materials, their processing, spectroscopic characterization, physical properties, and device applications. This two-volume set offers a selection of timely topics on silicon materials namely those that have been extensively used for applications in electronic and photonic technologies. The extensive reference provides broad coverage of silicon-based materials, including different types of silicon-related materials, their processing, spectroscopic characterization, physical properties, and device applications. Fourteen chapters review the state of the art research on silicon-based materials and their applications to devices. This reference contains a subset of articles published in AP's recently released Handbook of Advanced Electronic and Photonic Materials and Devices ( 2000, ISBN 012-5137451, ten volumes) by Dr. Hari Nalwa. This two-volume work strives to present a highly coherent coverage of silicon-based material uses in the vastly dynamic arena of silicon chip research and technology. Key Features * Covers silicon-based materials and devices * Include types of materials, their processing, fabrication, physical properties and device applications * Role of silicon-based materials in electronic and photonic technology * A very special topic presented in a timely manner and in a format




Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Silicon Science and Technology 2004: Volume 808


Book Description

This book celebrates 20 years of MRS symposia on the topic of amorphous silicon. Contributors showed that the simplified theories developed to explain the limited experimental information available in the early eighties have spurred more sophisticated experimentation - either refining the early understanding or making it irrelevant. The differences of opinion that continue to exist and emerge are probably the hallmark of the amazing vitality of this field. Applications range from 'mature' thin-film transistors, solar cells and image sensors, to the 'emerging' possibility of erbium-doped nanocrystalline silicon-based materials for lasers and amorphous silicon quantum dots for luminescent devices. The book discusses material characterization, growth processes and devices. Each chapter is further subdivided into sections that group papers around common themes. Topics include: nanomaterials; electronic structure; metastable effects; understanding of growth processes; laser-induced crystallization; metal-induced crystallization; other growth techniques; newer devices; solar cells and thin-film transistors.