Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Electroforming of thin film silicon based homojunction pin diode

  • Published:
Applied Physics A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The recent observations of bright visible electroluminescence (EL) from electroformed thin film silicon based wide-gap alloys are further clamped down in a simpler structure. For this purpose, a standard quality, ordinary hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) homojunction pin diode was fabricated by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The fresh diode was characterized by temperature scanned current–voltage (I–V) and constant photocurrent measurements. The energy distribution of density of states within the forbidden gap of the intrinsic a-Si:H layer was determined by space charge limited current and optical absorption spectroscopies. Then the diode was intentionally subjected to a sufficiently high, calibrated electric field leading to its Joule heating assisted rapid crystallization at ambient atmosphere. The fresh and the formed diodes exhibit different I–V and EL characteristics. The current density of the formed diode increases drastically at low voltages while remaining unchanged at high voltages when compared to that of the fresh diode. Parallelly, the room temperature EL intensity under a particular current stress is boosted with electroforming. These interesting phenomena have been discussed in the frame of a self-consistent model.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J.I. Pankove, D.E. Carlson, Appl. Phys. Lett. 29(9), 620–622 (1976)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. W.E. Spear, P.G. LeComber, Solid State Commun. 17, 1193 (1975)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. R.A. Street, Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1991)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  4. D. Han, K. Wang, Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 78, 181–233 (2003)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. J.S. Ro, W.E. Hong, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 45, L1142–L1145 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Y. Liu, T.P. Chen, L. Ding, M. Yang, J.I. Wong, C.Y. Ng, S.F. Yu, Z.X. Li, C. Yuen, F.R. Zhu, M.C. Tan, S. Fung, J. Appl. Phys. 101, 104306 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. M. Wang, X. Huang, J. Xu, W. Li, Z. Liu, K. Chen, Appl. Phys. Lett. 72, 722 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. I. Pelant, P. Fojtik, K. Luterova, J. Kocka, A. Poruba, J. Stepanek, Appl. Phys. A 74, 557–560 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. P. Fojtik, K. Dohnaleva, T. Mates, J. Stuchlik, I. Gregorova, J. Chval, A. Fejfar, J. Kocka, I. Pelant, Philos. Mag., B 82, 1785–1793 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. C.-M. Hsu, I.-F. Chen, W.-T. Wu, Appl. Phys. A 81, 1241–1244 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. S. Lombardo, J.H. Stathis, B.P. Linder, K.L. Pey, F. Palumbo, C.H. Tung, J. Appl. Phys. 98, 121301 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. J. Jang, J.Y. Oh, S.K. Kim, Y.J. Choi, S.Y. Yoon, C.O. Kim, Nature 395, 481–483 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. I. Stenger, A. Abramov, C. Barthou, Th. Nguyen-Tran, A. Frigout, P. Roca i Cabarrocas, Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 241114 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. T. Anutgan, M. Anutgan, I. Atilgan, B. Katircioglu, Electrochem. Solid-State Lett. 14(8), H330–H332 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. M. Anutgan, T.A. Anutgan, I. Atilgan, B. Katircioglu, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 58(8), 2537–2543 (2011)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. M. Anutgan, Nanocrystal silicon based visible light emitting pin diodes, Ph.D. Thesis, Middle East Technical University, Turkey, Dec. 2010

  17. I. Atilgan, Preparation and characterization of silicon thin films, Ph.D. Thesis, Middle East Technical University, Turkey, Aug. 1993

  18. A.K. Jonscher, Thin Solid Films 1, 213–234 (1967)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. C. van Berkel, M.J. Powell, A.R. Franklin, I.D. French, J. Appl. Phys. 73(10), 5264–5268 (1993)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. J.M. Shah, Y.-L. Li, Th. Gessmann, E.F. Schubert, J. Appl. Phys. 94(4), 2627–2630 (2003)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. K.D. Mackenzie, P.G. Le Comber, W.E. Spear, Philos. Mag., B 46, 377–389 (1982)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. F.T. Reis, D. Mencaraglia, S.O. Saad, I. Seguy, M. Oukachmih, P. Jolinat, P. Destruel, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 338–340, 599–602 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. M.J. Powell, S.C. Deane, Phys. Rev. B 53(15), 10121–10132 (1996)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. S. Nespurek, J. Sworakowski, J. Appl. Phys. 51(4), 2098–2102 (1980)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. S. Nespurek, J. Sworakowski, Phys. Status Solidi A 41, 619–627 (1977)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. J. Kocka, M. Vanecek, F. Schauer, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 97–98, 715–722 (1987)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. K. Pierz, H. Mell, J. Terukov, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 77–78, 547–550 (1985)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. M.B. Bebek, Effect of localized states on the photocurrent in amorphous silicon alloys, M.Sc. Thesis, Middle East Technical University, Turkey, Dec. 2009, pp. 70–78

  29. D. Kruangam, M. Deguchi, T. Toyama, H. Okamoto, Y. Hamakawa, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 35(7), 957–965 (1988)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. S.M. Paasche, T. Toyama, H. Okamoto, Y. Hamakawa, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 36(12), 2895–2902 (1989)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK BIDEB) and Middle East Technical University Scientific Research Project (METU BAP-07.02.2010.00.01).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Karabuk University, 78050, Karabuk, Turkey

    M. Anutgan

  2. Department of Physics, Karabuk University, 78050, Karabuk, Turkey

    T. Anutgan

  3. Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Karabuk University, 78050, Karabuk, Turkey

    I. Atilgan

  4. Solid State Electronics Laboratory, Department of Physics, Middle East Technical University, 06531, Ankara, Turkey

    B. Katircioglu

Authors
  1. M. Anutgan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Anutgan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. I. Atilgan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. B. Katircioglu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Anutgan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Anutgan, M., Anutgan, T., Atilgan, I. et al. Electroforming of thin film silicon based homojunction pin diode. Appl. Phys. A 109, 197–204 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-7033-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-7033-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation