Bulk multicrystalline Si with {310} Σ5 grain boundaries was grown by Bridgman growth method using seed crystals with artificially controlled configuration. The structure of the grain boundaries was preserved in the epitaxial growth region without formation of more grain boundaries. However, the grain boundaries were revealed to contain small-angle deviation of ~5º from the perfect Σ5 relative crystal orientation both in tilt and twist components due to the inaccuracy of the seed crystal arrangement. Such an unintentional misalignment was utilized to investigate the relationship between electrical activity and the deviation angle of {310} Σ5 grain boundary. Electron beam-induced current measurement clarified that carrier recombination velocity at the {310} Σ5 grain boundaries decreased with decreasing deviation angle and exhibited a minimum at the perfect Σ5 relationship. This tendency suggested that {310} Σ5 grain boundary was electrically inactive, as well as Σ3 and Σ9 grain boundaries.

Influence of Structural Imperfection of Σ5 Grain Boundaries in Bulk Multicrystalline Si on Their Electrical Activities. K.Kutsukake, N.Usami, K.Fujiwara, Y.Nose, K.Nakajima: Journal of Applied Physics, 2007, 101[6], 063509