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A novel passivation process of silicon nanowires by a low-cost PECVD technique for deposition of hydrogenated silicon nitride using SiH4 and N2 as precursor gases

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Abstract.

In this work, a different SiNx passivation process of silicon nanowires has been opted for the deposition of a hydrogenated silicon nitride (SiNx:H) by a low-cost plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using silane ( SiH4 and nitrogen ( N2 as reactive gases. This study is focused on the effect of the gas flow ratio on chemical composition, morphological, optical and optoelectronic properties of silicon nanowires. The existence of Si-N and Si-H bonds was proven by the Fourier transmission infrared (FTIR) spectrum. Morphological structures were shown by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the roughness was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). A low reflectivity less than 6% in the wavelength range 250-1200nm has been shown by UV-visible spectroscopy. Furthermore, the thickness and the refractive index of the passivation layer is determined by ellipsometry measurements. As a result, an improvement in minority carrier lifetime has been obtained by reducing surface recombination of silicon nanowires.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université de Tunis El Manar, Faculté des Sciences Mathématiques, Physiques et Naturelles de Tunis, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia

    Lamia Bouaziz

  2. LAboratoire des Nanomatériaux et des Systèmes pour les Energies Renouvelables (LANSER), Centre de Recherche et des Technologies de l’Energie (CRTEn), BP 95, 2050, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia

    Lamia Bouaziz , Donia Dridi, Mokhtar Karyaoui & Radhouane Chtourou

  3. Nanophotonics Technology Center (NTC), Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), 46022, Valencia, Spain

    Todora Angelova & Guillermo Sanchez Plaza

Authors
  1. Lamia Bouaziz
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  2. Donia Dridi
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  3. Mokhtar Karyaoui
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  4. Todora Angelova
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  5. Guillermo Sanchez Plaza
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  6. Radhouane Chtourou
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Correspondence to Lamia Bouaziz .

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Bouaziz , L., Dridi, D., Karyaoui, M. et al. A novel passivation process of silicon nanowires by a low-cost PECVD technique for deposition of hydrogenated silicon nitride using SiH4 and N2 as precursor gases. Eur. Phys. J. Plus 132, 119 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2017-11383-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2017-11383-2

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