Publication Date:
2016-02-09
Description:
The bulk minority-carrier lifetime in p - and n -type kerfless epitaxial (epi) crystalline silicon wafers is shown to increase 〉500× during phosphorus gettering. We employ kinetic defect simulations and microstructural characterization techniques to elucidate the root cause of this exceptional gettering response. Simulations and deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) indicate that a high concentration of point defects (likely Pt) is “locked in” during fast (60 °C/min) cooling during epi wafer growth. The fine dispersion of moderately fast-diffusing recombination-active point defects limits as-grown lifetime but can also be removed during gettering, confirmed by DLTS measurements. Synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy indicates metal agglomerates at structural defects, yet the structural defect density is sufficiently low to enable high lifetimes. Consequently, after phosphorus diffusion gettering, epi silicon exhibits a higher lifetime than materials with similar bulk impurity contents but higher densities of structural defects, including multicrystalline ingot and ribbon silicon materials. Device simulations suggest a solar-cell efficiency potential of this material 〉23%.
Print ISSN:
0021-8979
Electronic ISSN:
1089-7550
Topics:
Physics
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