Concentration Dependence of Hydrogen Diffusion in Hydrogenated Silicon

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe concentration dependence of hydrogen diffusion was studied in hydrogenated crystalline and amorphous silicon prepared by hydrogen implantation into crystalline Si wafers and into amorphous silicon of low hydrogen concentration. The results are compared with data for plasma-grown a-Si:H and µc-Si:H films. The increase of the diffusion coefficient with rising hydrogen concentration in a-Si:H is explained by an (equilibrium) energy band model of hydrogen diffusion whereas the decrease of the diffusion coefficient in c-Si:H is explained by a trapping model. The different behavior is attributed to a greater flexibility of the amorphous Si network compared to the crystalline Si lattice which is also visible in a difference in hydrogen-related microstructure formation.