Silicon-Hydrogen Bonding and Hydrogen Diffusion in Amorphous Silicon

Abstract

ABSTRACTDespite its importance for technological applications, the behavior of hydrogen in amorphous silicon is not fully understood. In particular, the anomalously low activation energy (1.5 eV) for hydrogen diffusion has remained unexplained. We investigate the interaction of hydrogen with dangling bonds using first-principles pseudopotential-density-functional calculations. Our analysis shows that the diffusion activation energy should be measured from the hydrogen chemical potential, and that this level should be identified with the formation energy of Si-H bonds. A quantitative identification of the energy levels with experimental observables is then possible.