This study investigates defect passivation in fine-grained polycrystalline Si layers by means of hydrogenation. The polycrystalline Si layers were deposited on oxidized Si wafers using high-temperature chemical phase deposition. The hydrogenation treatment was performed in a direct plasma enhanced chemical phase deposition system. The samples were characterized by resistivity vs. temperature measurements of p-type layers and by quasi-steady state open-circuit voltage measurements of p–n diodes made in the material. The results showed a large increase of the measured open-circuit voltage by the hydrogenation treatment, with the open-circuit voltage of the samples at a light intensity of 1 Sun rising from 180mV without hydrogenation to values up to 380mV. This corresponds to a defect concentration decreased by a factor of three.

Defect Passivation in Chemical Vapour Deposited Fine-Grained Polycrystalline Silicon by Plasma Hydrogenation. L.Carnel, I.Gordon, K.Van Nieuwenhuysen, D.Van Gestel, G.Beaucarne, J.Poortmans: Thin Solid Films, 2005, 487[1-2], 147-51