Impact of high-temperature processing steps on the long-term stability of charge carrier lifetime in n-type FZ-silicon

In this work, the long-term behavior of excess charge carrier lifetime in n-type FZ-Si wafers without presence of highly doped layers is investigated during illumination at elevated temperatures. Thereby, the influence of high-temperature processing steps such as short high temperature thermal treat...

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Main Authors: Mehler Melanie, Weinert Nicolas, Aßmann Nicole, Herguth Axel, Hahn Giso, Geml Fabian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EDP Sciences 2025-01-01
Series:EPJ Photovoltaics
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Online Access:https://www.epj-pv.org/articles/epjpv/full_html/2025/01/pv20240053/pv20240053.html
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author Mehler Melanie
Weinert Nicolas
Aßmann Nicole
Herguth Axel
Hahn Giso
Geml Fabian
author_facet Mehler Melanie
Weinert Nicolas
Aßmann Nicole
Herguth Axel
Hahn Giso
Geml Fabian
author_sort Mehler Melanie
collection DOAJ
description In this work, the long-term behavior of excess charge carrier lifetime in n-type FZ-Si wafers without presence of highly doped layers is investigated during illumination at elevated temperatures. Thereby, the influence of high-temperature processing steps such as short high temperature thermal treatment, often referred to as tabula rasa (TR), and phosphorus diffusion gettering is considered. Degradation of effective lifetime is observed as well as a very strong regeneration effect that significantly exceeds the initial effective lifetime value. The phosphorus gettering step appears to have no significant effect on the degradation and regeneration behavior. Samples subjected to a TR treatment show only bulk-related regeneration. Investigations in darkness showed that the bulk-related regeneration is carrier-induced and not necessarily light-induced. FT-IR measurements at 5 K showed that the samples with a TR step have a higher Oi concentration in the Si bulk and that the hydrogen-passivated vacancies (VH4) are dissolved. The regeneration behavior of the samples with a TR step could be correlated with a reduced vacancy concentration. Such a thermal processing step appears to offer a strong mitigation strategy.
format Article
id doaj-art-5fac03adef414adba7ae521f20a9f0ff
institution DOAJ
issn 2105-0716
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher EDP Sciences
record_format Article
series EPJ Photovoltaics
spelling doaj-art-5fac03adef414adba7ae521f20a9f0ff2025-08-20T03:16:28ZengEDP SciencesEPJ Photovoltaics2105-07162025-01-01161510.1051/epjpv/2025006pv20240053Impact of high-temperature processing steps on the long-term stability of charge carrier lifetime in n-type FZ-siliconMehler Melanie0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0557-6290Weinert Nicolas1Aßmann Nicole2Herguth Axel3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1079-1179Hahn Giso4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8292-1281Geml Fabian5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2803-5390University of Konstanz, Department of PhysicsUniversity of Konstanz, Department of PhysicsCentre for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, University of OsloUniversity of Konstanz, Department of PhysicsUniversity of Konstanz, Department of PhysicsUniversity of Konstanz, Department of PhysicsIn this work, the long-term behavior of excess charge carrier lifetime in n-type FZ-Si wafers without presence of highly doped layers is investigated during illumination at elevated temperatures. Thereby, the influence of high-temperature processing steps such as short high temperature thermal treatment, often referred to as tabula rasa (TR), and phosphorus diffusion gettering is considered. Degradation of effective lifetime is observed as well as a very strong regeneration effect that significantly exceeds the initial effective lifetime value. The phosphorus gettering step appears to have no significant effect on the degradation and regeneration behavior. Samples subjected to a TR treatment show only bulk-related regeneration. Investigations in darkness showed that the bulk-related regeneration is carrier-induced and not necessarily light-induced. FT-IR measurements at 5 K showed that the samples with a TR step have a higher Oi concentration in the Si bulk and that the hydrogen-passivated vacancies (VH4) are dissolved. The regeneration behavior of the samples with a TR step could be correlated with a reduced vacancy concentration. Such a thermal processing step appears to offer a strong mitigation strategy.https://www.epj-pv.org/articles/epjpv/full_html/2025/01/pv20240053/pv20240053.htmllong-term stabilityn-typefz-sithermal annealoxygenpoint defects
spellingShingle Mehler Melanie
Weinert Nicolas
Aßmann Nicole
Herguth Axel
Hahn Giso
Geml Fabian
Impact of high-temperature processing steps on the long-term stability of charge carrier lifetime in n-type FZ-silicon
EPJ Photovoltaics
long-term stability
n-type
fz-si
thermal anneal
oxygen
point defects
title Impact of high-temperature processing steps on the long-term stability of charge carrier lifetime in n-type FZ-silicon
title_full Impact of high-temperature processing steps on the long-term stability of charge carrier lifetime in n-type FZ-silicon
title_fullStr Impact of high-temperature processing steps on the long-term stability of charge carrier lifetime in n-type FZ-silicon
title_full_unstemmed Impact of high-temperature processing steps on the long-term stability of charge carrier lifetime in n-type FZ-silicon
title_short Impact of high-temperature processing steps on the long-term stability of charge carrier lifetime in n-type FZ-silicon
title_sort impact of high temperature processing steps on the long term stability of charge carrier lifetime in n type fz silicon
topic long-term stability
n-type
fz-si
thermal anneal
oxygen
point defects
url https://www.epj-pv.org/articles/epjpv/full_html/2025/01/pv20240053/pv20240053.html
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AT aßmannnicole impactofhightemperatureprocessingstepsonthelongtermstabilityofchargecarrierlifetimeinntypefzsilicon
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