Spin Relaxation Spectroscopy of the D-Center in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon

Abstract

ABSTRACTMeasurements of the dependence of the D-center electron paramagnetic resonance absorption signal upon the incident microwave power are reported in undoped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) for specimens prepared at differing deposition temperatures and also as the state of a given specimen was varied by illumination and subsequent annealing. These measurements are sensitive to electron spin relaxation processes of the D-center. Substantial variation in spin-relaxation behavior was found, corresponding to approximately one order of magnitude in the spin relaxation rate; no significant variations in absorption lineshape were observed. A model for these spin relaxation observations invoking two differing local microstructures near the D-center is proposed. The model indicates that illumination increases the density of defects in one microstructure but can irreversibly diminish the density in a second.