Effects of plasma excitation frequency and total gas flow rate upon the structural properties as well as defect density of nanocrystalline Si films were investigated using Raman analysis, Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopy and electron spin resonance. It was found that the defect density and microstructural defects in the films were low at the higher plasma excitation frequency of 54.24MHz and at higher total gas flow rates. The defect density and microstructural defects increased as the crystallinity of the films increased. The performance of solar cells, prepared using various absorbing layers confirmed that the fill-factor and short-circuit current increased as the defect density decreased.

Fabrication of Low Defect Density Nanocrystalline Silicon Absorber Layer and Its Application in Thin-Film Solar Cell. A.Chowdhury, S.Mukhopadhyaya, S.Ray: Thin Solid Films, 2008, 516[20], 6858-62