WANNIER LOCALIZATION IN GAAS/GAALAS SUPERLATTICES UNDER ELECTRIC-FIELD

We have studied the Wannier-Stark effect in GaAs/GaAlAs short-period superlattices under applied electric field perpendicular to the layers by room- and low-temperature photocurrent measurements. The changes in the transition intensities with biasing are well fitted to a theoretical calculation based on the finite Kronig-Penney model on which the potential of an applied electric field is superposed. With increasing electric field, the 0h peak grows to a maximum while the -1h and +1h peaks monotonousely decrease. By a comparison of the spectra measured at different temperatures, the two peaks in the room temperature photocurrent spectra at relatively low electric field (1.0 X 10(4) V/cm) are identified to be caused by the Wannier localization effect instead of saddle-point excitons.

PHOTOEMISSION-STUDY ON THE SNO2/P A-SICX-H INTERFACE

Ultraviolet and X-ray photoemission spectroscopies (UPS and XPS) have been employed to SnO2 and its interface with P-type a-SiCx:H. The HeI valence band spectra of SnO2 show that the valence band maximum (VBM) shifts from 4.7 eV to 3.6 eV below the Fermi level (E(F)), and the valence band tail (VBT) extends up to the E(F), as a consequence of H-plasma treatments. The work function difference between SnO2 and P a-SiCx:H is found to decrease from 0.98 eV to 0.15 eV, owing to the increase of the work function of the treated SnO2. The reduction of SnO2 to metallic Sn is also observed by XPS profiling, and it is found that this leads to a wider interfacial region between the treated SnO2 and the successive growth of P a-SiCx:H.

A NEW RESULT IN TRANSIENT CURRENT EXPERIMENT ON A-SI-H P/I/N AND N/I/N DEVICES

The transient current response of a-Si:H in both p/i/n and n/i/n structures has been measured as a function of pulse intermittence and pulse amplitude. The results are consistent with the picture that in p/i/n samples the peculiar current response is caused by the competing contributions of electrons and holes which show themselves in different time scales.

INTERFACIAL FORMATION PROCESS AND REACTIONS BETWEEN AU AND HYDROGENATED AMORPHOUS SI STUDIED BY XPS AND AES

Interfacial formation processes and reactions between Au and hydrogenated amorphous Si have been studied by photoemission spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. A three-dimensional growth of Au metal cluster occurs at initial formation of the Au/a-Si:H interface. When Au deposition exceeds a critical time, Au and Si begin interdiffusing and react to create an Au-Si alloy region. Annealing enhances interdiffusion and a Si-rich region exists on the topmost surface of Au films on a-Si:H.

METASTABLE DEFECT IN AMORPHOUS-SILICON SOLAR-CELLS INVESTIGATED BY JUNCTION RECOVERY TECHNIQUE

The effect of metastable defects caused by light soaking and carrier injection on the transport of carriers in undoped a-Si:H has been investigated by a junction recovery technique. The experiments show that after light soaking or carrier injection the product of mu-p-tau-p decreases, but no detectable change in the distribution of shallow valence band tail states was found.

PHOTOEMISSION-STUDY OF THE INTERFACIAL FORMATION PROCESS AND REACTIONS BETWEEN AL AND HYDROGENATED AMORPHOUS SI

Using photoemission spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy, the interfacial formation process and the reactions between Al and hydrogenated amorphous Si are probed, and annealing behaviors of the Al/a-Si:H system are investigated as well. It is found that a three-dimensional growth of Al metal clusters which includes reacted Al and non-reacted metal Al occurs at the initial Al deposition time, reacted Al and Si alloyed layers exist in the Al/a-Si:H interface, and non-reacted Al makes layer-by-layer growth forming a metal Al layer on the sample surface. The interfacial reactions and element interdiffusion of Al/a-Si:H are promoted under the vacuum annealing.

Strong visible photoluminescence from amorphous silicon grains in a-SiOx:H films

Two strong luminescence bands were observed from a-SiOx:H in the spectral range of 550-900 nm at room temperature. One is a main broad peak which blueshifts with oxygen content and the other is a shoulder fixed at about 835 nm. In conjunction with TR and micro-Raman spectra, we have proposed that the main band may originate from the amorphous silicon grains embedded in SiOx network, while the shoulder might be due to some defects induced by excess-silicon in these films. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.