Memorias de investigación
Research Publications in journals:
Building intuition of iron evolution during solar cell processing through analysis of different process models
Year:2015
Research Areas
  • Electronic devices,
  • Solar cells,
  • Technology of devices for engineering
Information
Abstract
An important aspect of Process Simulators for photovoltaics is prediction of defect evolution during device fabrication. Over the last twenty years, these tools have accelerated process optimization, and several Process Simulators for iron, a ubiquitous and deleterious impurity in silicon, have been developed. The diversity of these tools can make it difficult to build intuition about the physics governing iron behavior during processing. Thus, in one unified software environment and using self-consistent terminology, we combine and describe three of these Simulators. We vary structural defect distribution and iron precipitation equations to create eight distinct Models, which we then use to simulate different stages of processing. We find that the structural defect distribution influences the final interstitial iron concentration ([Fe-i]) more strongly than the iron precipitation equations. We identify two regimes of iron behavior: (1) diffusivity-limited, in which iron evolution is kinetically limited and bulk [Fe-i] predictions can vary by an order of magnitude or more, and (2) solubility-limited, in which iron evolution is near thermodynamic equilibrium and the Models yield similar results. This rigorous analysis provides new intuition that can inform Process Simulation, material, and process development, and it enables scientists and engineers to choose an appropriate level of Model complexity based on wafer type and quality, processing conditions, and available computation time.
International
Si
JCR
Si
Title
Applied Physics a-Materials Science & Processing
ISBN
0947-8396
Impact factor JCR
1,694
Impact info
Volume
120
10.1007/s00339-015-9317-7
Journal number
4
From page
1357
To page
1373
Month
SIN MES
Ranking
Participants
  • Autor: A.E. Morishige
  • Autor: Laine H.S.
  • Autor: Schon J.
  • Autor: A. Haarahiltunen
  • Autor: J. Hofstetter
  • Autor: Carlos del Cañizo Nadal UPM
  • Autor: M.C. Schubert
  • Autor: H. Savin
  • Autor: T. Buonassisi
Research Group, Departaments and Institutes related
  • Creador: Grupo de Investigación: Silicio y Nuevos Conceptos para Células Solares
  • Centro o Instituto I+D+i: Instituto de Energía Solar
  • Departamento: Electrónica Física