Cross-sectional and temperature-dependent electron beam-induced current measurements revealed the depth profile of the recombination activity of grain boundaries and intragrain dislocations in cast multicrystalline specimens. After remote H plasma treatment (1h, 310C), defects were passivated down to a depth of 100μm. Cross-sectional contrast measurements at 80 to 298K characterized the depth profile of H passivation. The activities of grain boundaries and intragrain dislocations were reduced by hydrogenation. Low-temperature measurements revealed that even the activity of weak defects, which were almost passive at room temperature, was further reduced by hydrogenation. It was concluded that the passivation effect was due to a reduction in the density of deep defect-related centres. The electron beam-induced current depth profiles indicated a small density of deep defect-related centres near to the surface, and an increase in their density with depth. This reflected the H-concentration decay from the surface to the bulk.

Cross-Sectional Electron Beam-Induced Current Analysis of the Passivation of Extended Defects in Cast Multicrystalline Silicon by Remote Hydrogen Plasma Treatment O.F.Vyvenko, O.Krüger, M.Kittler: Applied Physics Letters, 2000, 76[6], 697-9