High mobility single-crystalline-like silicon thin films on inexpensive flexible metal foils by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. (1st April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dutta, P.; Gao, Y.; Rathi, M.; Yao, Y.; Li, Y.; Iliev, M.; Martinez, J.; Selvamanickam, V.
• Is Part Of: Acta materialia. Volume 147(2018)
• Page Start: 51
• Page End: 58
• Publication Date: 2018-04-01
• Subjects: Epitaxial growth -- Chemical vapor deposition -- Silicon -- Flexible electronics -- High-mobility; Materials -- Periodicals; Materials science -- Periodicals; Materials -- Mechanical properties -- Periodicals; Metallurgy -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Inorganic -- Periodicals; 620.112
• DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.01.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-6454

Abstract

Abstract: In this report, we demonstrate heteroepitaxial growth of single-crystalline-like Si thin films on inexpensive and lightweight flexible metal foil substrates using radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD). Single-crystalline-like Ge thin film on ion-beam textured templates on metal foils served as epitaxy enabling substrates for Si growth. The epitaxial Si films were oriented along (004) direction and strongly biaxially-textured with narrow in-plane and out-of-plane spreads. Surface morphology was granular with 300–400 nm diameter grains having very low-angle grain boundaries (average ∼ 0.5°). Raman spectroscopy revealed near 100% crystallinity and high structural quality, comparable to bulk c-Si wafer. Controllable in-situ gas phase doping was carried out to achieve n- and p-type Si films with high electron and hole mobilities of 230 and 65 cm 2 /V-s respectively and carrier concentrations suitable for electronic device application. Direct deposition of high mobility single-crystalline-like Si thin films on flexible and inexpensive metal foils can be a potential route towards roll-to-roll scalable manufacturing of high-performance flexible electronics applications. Graphical abstract: Epitaxial single-crystalline-like Silicon films were deposited using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on low-cost, light-weight and flexible metal foils. Controllable doping with high electron and hole mobilities were achieved. Image 1