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At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Effect of ambient combinations of argon, oxygen, and hydrogen on the properties of DC magnetron sputtered indium tin oxide films

Sputtering has been well-developed industrially with singular ambient gases including neutral argon (Ar), oxygen (O{sub 2}), hydrogen (H{sub 2}) and nitrogen (N{sub 2}) to enhance the electrical and optical performances of indium tin oxide (ITO) films. Recent preliminary investigation into the use of combined ambient gases such as an Ar+O{sub 2}+H{sub 2} ambient mixture, which was suitable for producing high-quality (low sheet resistance and high optical transmittance) of ITO films. To build on this promising preliminary work and develop deeper insight into the effect of ambient atmospheres on ITO film growth, this study provides a more detailed investigation of the effects of ambient combinations of Ar, O{sub 2}, H{sub 2} on sputtered ITO films. Thin films of ITO were deposited on glass substrates by DC magnetron sputtering using three different ambient combinations: Ar, Ar+O{sub 2} and Ar+O{sub 2}+H{sub 2}. The structural, electrical and optical properties of the three ambient sputtered ITO films were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, four probe electrical conductivity and optical spectroscopy. The XRD and Raman studies confirmed the cubic indium oxide structure, which is polycrystalline at room temperature for all the samples. AFM shows the minimum surface roughness of 2.7 nm for Ar+O{sub 2}+H{sub 2} sputtered thin film material. The thickness of the films was determined by the cross sectional SEM analysis and its thickness was varied from 920 to 817 nm. The columnar growth of ITO films was also discussed here. The electrical and optical measurements of Ar+O{sub 2}+H{sub 2} ambient combinations shows a decreased sheet resistance (5.06 ohm/□) and increased optical transmittance (69%) than other samples. The refractive index and packing density of the films were projected using optical transmission spectrum. From the observed results the Ar+O{sub 2}+H{sub 2} ambient is a good choice to enhance the total optoelectronic properties of the ITO films. The improved electrical and optical properties of ITO films with respect to the Ar+O{sub 2}+H{sub 2} ambient sample were discussed in detail. In addition, the physical properties were also discussed with the influence of this ambient combination with respect to Ar, Ar+O{sub 2} and Ar+O{sub 2}+H{sub 2}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Conversion efficiency improvement of inverted CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite solar cells with room temperature sputtered ZnO by adding the C{sub 60} interlayer

We have demonstrated the performance of inverted CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite-based solar cells (SCs) with a room temperature (RT) sputtered ZnO electron transport layer by adding fullerene (C{sub 60}) interlayer. ZnO exhibits a better matched conduction band level with perovskite and Al work function and around energy offset of 2.2 eV between highest occupied molecular orbital level of CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite and valance band level of ZnO. However, the CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite layer will be damaged during direct RT sputtering deposition of ZnO. Therefore, the C{sub 60} interlayer having matched conduction band level with ZnO and CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite added between the CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite and RT sputtered ZnO layers for protection prevents sputtering damages on the CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite layer. The short-circuit current density (J{sub SC}, 19.41 mA/cm{sup 2}) and open circuit voltage (V{sub OC}, 0.91 V) of the SCs with glass/ITO/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene-sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/perovskite/C{sub 60}/RT sputtered ZnO/Al structure is higher than the J{sub SC} (16.23 mA/cm{sup 2}) and V{sub OC} (0.90 V) of the reference SC with glass/ITO/PEDOT:PSS/perovskite/C{sub 60}/bathocuproine (BCP)/Al structure. Although the SCs with the former structure has a lower fill factor (FF%) than the SCs with the latter structure, its conversion efficiency η% (10.93%) is higher than that (10.6%) of the latter.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Molecular dynamics of nanodroplet impact: The effect of the projectile’s molecular mass on sputtering

The impact of electrosprayed nanodroplets on ceramics at several km/s alters the atomic order of the target, causing sputtering, surface amorphization and cratering. The molecular mass of the projectile is known to have a strong effect on the impact phenomenology, and this article aims to rationalize this dependency using molecular dynamics. To achieve this goal, the article models the impact of four projectiles with molecular masses between 45 and 391 amu, and identical diameters and kinetic energies, 10 nm and 63 keV, striking a silicon target. In agreement with experiments, the simulations show that the number of sputtered atoms strongly increases with molecular mass. This is due to the increasing intensity of collision cascades with molecular mass: when the fixed kinetic energy of the projectile is distributed among fewer, more massive molecules, their collisions with the target produce knock-on atoms with higher energies, which in turn generate more energetic and larger numbers of secondary and tertiary knock-on atoms. The more energetic collision cascades intensify both knock-on sputtering and, upon thermalization, thermal sputtering. Besides enhancing sputtering, heavier molecules also increase the fraction of the projectile’s energy that is transferred to the target, as well as the fraction of this energy that is dissipated.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Chemical sputtering by H{sub 2}{sup +} and H{sub 3}{sup +} ions during silicon deposition

We investigated chemical sputtering of silicon films by H{sub y}{sup +} ions (with y being 2 and 3) in an asymmetric VHF Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) discharge in detail. In experiments with discharges created with pure H{sub 2} inlet flows, we observed that more Si was etched from the powered than from the grounded electrode, and this resulted in a net deposition on the grounded electrode. With experimental input data from a power density series of discharges with pure H{sub 2} inlet flows, we were able to model this process with a chemical sputtering mechanism. The obtained chemical sputtering yields were (0.3–0.4) ± 0.1 Si atom per bombarding H{sub y}{sup +} ion at the grounded electrode and at the powered electrode the yield ranged from (0.4 to 0.65) ± 0.1. Subsequently, we investigated the role of chemical sputtering during PECVD deposition with a series of silane fractions S{sub F} (S{sub F}(%) = [SiH{sub 4}]/[H{sub 2}]*100) ranging from S{sub F} = 0% to 20%. We experimentally observed that the SiH{sub y}{sup +} flux is not proportional to S{sub F} but decreasing from S{sub F} = 3.4% to 20%. This counterintuitive SiH{sub y}{sup +} flux trend was partly explained by an increasing chemical sputtering rate with decreasing S{sub F} and partly by the reaction between H{sub 3}{sup +} and SiH{sub 4} that forms SiH{sub 3}{sup +}.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Low-temperature growth of low friction wear-resistant amorphous carbon nitride thin films by mid-frequency, high power impulse, and direct current magnetron sputtering

The potential of different magnetron sputtering techniques for the synthesis of low friction and wear resistant amorphous carbon nitride (a-CN{sub x}) thin films onto temperature-sensitive AISI52100 bearing steel, but also Si(001) substrates was studied. Hence, a substrate temperature of 150 °C was chosen for the film synthesis. The a-CN{sub x} films were deposited using mid-frequency magnetron sputtering (MFMS) with an MF bias voltage, high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) with a synchronized HiPIMS bias voltage, and direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS) with a DC bias voltage. The films were deposited using a N{sub 2}/Ar flow ratio of 0.16 at the total pressure of 400 mPa. The negative bias voltage, V{sub s}, was varied from 20 to 120 V in each of the three deposition modes. The microstructure of the films was characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction, while the film morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. All films possessed an amorphous microstructure, while the film morphology changed with the bias voltage. Layers grown applying the lowest substrate bias of 20 V exhibited pronounced intercolumnar porosity, independent of the sputter technique. Voids closed and dense films are formed at V{sub s} ≥ 60 V, V{sub s} ≥ 100 V, and V{sub s} = 120 V for MFMS, DCMS, and HiPIMS, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the nitrogen-to-carbon ratio, N/C, of the films ranged between 0.2 and 0.24. Elastic recoil detection analysis showed that Ar content varied between 0 and 0.8 at. % and increased as a function of V{sub s} for all deposition techniques. All films exhibited compressive residual stress, σ, which depends on the growth method; HiPIMS produces the least stressed films with values ranging between −0.4 and −1.2 GPa for all V{sub s}, while CN{sub x} films deposited by MFMS showed residual stresses up to −4.2 GPa. Nanoindentation showed a significant increase in film hardness and reduced elastic modulus with increasing V{sub s} for all techniques. The harder films were produced by MFMS with hardness as high as 25 GPa. Low friction coefficients, between 0.05 and 0.06, were recorded for all films. Furthermore, CN{sub x} films produced by MFMS and DCMS at V{sub s} = 100 and 120 V presented a high wear resistance with wear coefficients of k ≤ 2.3 × 10{sup −5} mm{sup 3}/Nm. While all CN{sub x} films exhibit low friction, wear depends strongly on the structural and mechanical characteristics of the films. The MFMS mode is best suited for the production of hard CN{sub x} films, although high compressive stresses challenge the application on steel substrates. Films grown in HiPIMS mode provide adequate adhesion due to low residual stress values, at the expense of lower film hardness. Thus, a relatively wide mechanical property envelope is presented for CN{sub x} films, which is relevant for the optimization of CN{sub x} film properties intended to be applied as low friction and wear resistant coatings.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Sputtering yields and surface chemical modification of tin-doped indium oxide in hydrocarbon-based plasma etching

Sputtering yields and surface chemical compositions of tin-doped indium oxide (or indium tin oxide, ITO) by CH{sup +}, CH{sub 3}{sup +}, and inert-gas ion (He{sup +}, Ne{sup +}, and Ar{sup +}) incidence have been obtained experimentally with the use of a mass-selected ion beam system and in-situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It has been found that etching of ITO is chemically enhanced by energetic incidence of hydrocarbon (CH{sub x}{sup +}) ions. At high incident energy incidence, it appears that carbon of incident ions predominantly reduce indium (In) of ITO and the ITO sputtering yields by CH{sup +} and CH{sub 3}{sup +} ions are found to be essentially equal. At lower incident energy (less than 500 eV or so), however, a hydrogen effect on ITO reduction is more pronounced and the ITO surface is more reduced by CH{sub 3}{sup +} ions than CH{sup +} ions. Although the surface is covered more with metallic In by low-energy incident CH{sub 3}{sup +} ions than CH{sup +} ions and metallic In is in general less resistant against physical sputtering than its oxide, the ITO sputtering yield by incident CH{sub 3}{sup +} ions is found to be lower than that by incident CH{sup +} ions in this energy range. A postulation to account for the relation between the observed sputtering yield and reduction of the ITO surface is also presented. The results presented here offer a better understanding of elementary surface reactions observed in reactive ion etching processes of ITO by hydrocarbon plasmas.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Anorthite sputtering by H + and Ar q+ (q = 1-9) at solar wind velocities

Here, we report sputtering measurements of anorthite-like material, taken to be representative of soils found in the lunar highlands, impacted by singly and multicharged ions representative of the solar wind. The ions investigated include protons, as well as singly and multicharged Ar ions (as proxies for the nonreactive heavy solar wind constituents), in the charge state range +1 to +9, at fixed solar wind-relevant impact velocities of 165 and 310 km/s (0.25 keV/amu and 0.5 keV/amu). A quartz microbalance approach (QCM) for determination of total sputtering yields was used. The goal of the measurements was to determine the sputtering contribution of the heavy, multicharged minority solar wind constituents in comparison to that due to the dominant H + fraction. The QCM results show a yield increase of a factor of about 80 for Ar + versus H + sputtering and an enhancement by a factor of 1.67 between Ar 9+ and Ar + , which is a clear indication of a potential sputtering effect.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Nanoscale imaging of hydrogen and sodium in alteration layers of corroded glass using ToF-SIMS: Is an auxiliary sputtering ion beam necessary?

The hydrogen (H)/sodium (Na) interface is of great interest in glass corrosion research. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is one of the few techniques that can provide nanoscale H and Na imaging simultaneously. However, the optimized condition for ToF-SIMS imaging of H in glass is still unclear. In H depth profiling using ToF-SIMS, H background control is a key, in which an analysis ion beam and a sputtering ion beam work together in an interlaced mode to minimize it. Therefore, it is of great interest to determine if an auxiliary sputtering ion beam is also necessary to control H background in ToF-SIMS imaging of H. In this study, a Bi+ primary ion beam with different auxiliary sputtering beams (Cs+, O2+ and Arn+) were compared on a corroded International Simple Glass (ISG). It was surprising that the H/Na interface could be directly imaged using positive ion imaging without any auxiliary sputtering ion beam under a vacuum of 2-3 × 10-8 mbar. The H+ background was about 5% atomic percent on the pristine ISG glass, which was significantly lower than the H concentration in the alteration layer (~15%). Moreover, positive ion imaging could show distributions of other interesting species simultaneously, providing more comprehensive information of the glass corrosion. The H+ background could be reduced with an auxiliary O2+ sputtering ion beam; however, significant loss of signal intensities was observed. In addition, a higher H background in ToF-SIMS imaging than that in the depth profiling was observed.

Zhang, Jiandong↗
DOE OSTI2022

Structural dependence of hydrogen evolution reaction on transition metal catalysts sputtered at different temperatures in alkaline media

In the present article, we studied the catalytic activity of magnetron sputtered Mo, V, Ni, and Co thin films for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in the alkaline electrolyte. Here, we find that the HER potentials (η 10 ) of the Mo and V thin film catalysts sputtered at 800 °C shift positive with respect to those of the film catalysts sputtered at 25°C. For Mo metal the observed shift of η 10 was 280 mV and for V metal observed shift of η 10 was 390 mV. On the other hand, minimal effect of sputtering temperature on both Ni and Co thin film catalyst activity for HER was observed. Structural analysis reveals that Mo and V prepared at 800 °C have uncommon face centered cubic (fcc, 0.74 packing density) structure as opposed to room-temperature sputtered Mo and V thin films which have common body centered cubic (bcc, 0.68 packing density) structure, resulting in significant increases of the packing densities when they are prepared at 800 °C. On the other hand, the high-temperature prepared thin films of Ni and Co retained fcc structures, resulting in no density changes compared to the room-temperature prepared fcc Ni and hexagonal close packed (hcp, 0.74 packing density) Co. Impedance spectroscopy shows that fcc Mo is a better catalyst than fcc Ni, which is considered an industry standard for non-noble pure metal-based catalysts in alkaline media. Stability tests also suggest that fcc Mo thin film catalysts prepared at 800 °C are more durable than fcc Ni thin films. Our study points out that structure phases of catalysts can be a key factor governing the activities of transition metals for HER in alkaline media.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2020

Sputtered indium tin oxide as a recombination layer formed on the tunnel oxide/poly-Si passivating contact enabling the potential of efficient monolithic perovskite/Si tandem solar cells

We focus on utilizing sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) as a recombination layer, having low junction damage to an n-type silicon solar cell with a front-side tunnel oxide passivating electron contact, thereby enabling the development of a high efficiency monolithic perovskite/Si tandem device. High transparency and low resistivity ITO films are deposited via low power DC magnetron sputtering at room temperature onto a front-side thin SiO x /n + poly-Si contact in a complete Cz n-Si cell with a back-side Al 2 O 3 /SiN x passivating boron-diffused p + -emitter on a random pyramid textured surface. We report the cell characteristics before and after ITO sputtering, and we find a cure at 250 °C in air is highly effective at mitigating any sputtering induced damage. Our ITO coated sample resulted in an implied open-circuit voltage (iV oc ) of 684.7 ± 11.3 mV with the total saturation current density of 49.2 ± 14.8 fA/cm 2 , an implied fill factor (iFF) of 81.9 ± 0.8%, and a contact resistivity in the range of 60 mΩ-cm 2 to 90 mΩ-cm 2 . After formation of a local Ag contact to the rear emitter and sputtered ITO film as the front-side contact without grid fingers, the pseudo-efficiency of 20.2 ± 0.5% was obtained with the V oc of 670.4 ± 7 mV and pseudo FF of 77.3 ± 1.3% under simulated one sun with the calculated short-circuit current density of 30.9 mA/cm 2 from the measured external quantum efficiency. Furthermore, our modelling result shows that efficiency exceeding 25% under one sun is practically achievable in perovskite/Si tandem configuration using the ITO recombination layer connecting a perovskite top cell and a poly-Si bottom cell.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

High Initial Sputter Rate Found for Vaccinia Virions Using Isotopic Labeling, NanoSIMS, and AFM

High-lateral-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) has the potential to provide functional and depth resolved information from small biological structures, such as viral particles (virions) and phage, but sputter rate and sensitivity are not characterized at shallow depths relevant to these structures. Here we combine stable isotope labeling of the DNA of vaccinia virions with correlated SIMS imaging depth profiling and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to develop a nonlinear, nonequilibrium sputter rate model for the virions and validate the model on the basis of reconstructing the location of the DNA within individual virions. Our experiments with a Cs+ beam show an unexpectedly high initial sputter rate (~100 um 2 ·nm·pA –1 ·s –1 ) with a rapid decline to an asymptotic rate of 0.7 um 2 ·nm·pA –1 ·s –1 at an approximate depth of 70 nm. Correlated experiments were also conducted with glutaraldehyde-fixed virions, as well as O – and Ga + beams, yielding similar results. Based on our Cs + sputter rate model, the labeled DNA in the virion was between 50 and 90 nm depth in the virion core, consistent with expectations, supporting our conclusions. Virion densification was found to be a secondary effect. In conclusion, accurate isotopic ratios were obtained from the initiation of sputtering, suggesting that isotopic tracers could be successfully used for smaller virions and phage.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Sputter sample preparation for ion beam delivery of radium-223 at ATLAS

A radium-223 ion beam was delivered to an experiment from the electron cyclotron resonance ion source, ECR2, at the Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System (ATLAS). Here, the radium-223 material was in a nitrate salt form within a vial, prior to being converted to a usable sputter sample. The sputter sample was produced using a new sample preparation method, where the radium nitrate was dissolved into a solution and pipetted onto pressed aluminum powder. This sample was then allowed to dry, distributing the radium-223 material throughout the sputter sample. Ion source operation using the radium sputter sample is described with the operating parameters listed. The intensity and energy requirements for this ion beam were 1 × 10 6 particles/s and 1.07 GeV, respectively. Because the intensity is relatively low compared to most experiments at ATLAS, previously developed accelerator mass spectrometry methods were used Scott et al. to avoid the need for tuning of the low-intensity beam of interest. Handling of the radium material, as well as loading and unloading of the sputter sample from ECR2, required collaboration with Health Physics. Procedures were used and dry runs were carried out before, during, and after the experiment to ensure the safety of the workers. The processes used and lessons learned are described within.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Nb3Sn Superconducting Radiofrequency Cavity Fabricated by Sputter Deposition from a Stoichiometric Target

Nb$_3$Sn is a promising coating material for superconducting radiofrequency cavities in next-generation accelerators due to its higher superconducting transition temperature (~18.3 K) and superheating field (~400 mT), offering the potential to surpass the intrinsic performance limits of bulk niobium. We developed a sputter coating technique employing a stoichiometric target to fabricate Nb$_3$Sn films on the inner surfaces of niobium cavities. A Nb$_3$Sn tube target, prepared by growing a >20 m thick Nb$_3$Sn coating on the surface of a Nb tube via a Sn vapor diffusion process, was used in a DC cylindrical magnetron sputtering system. Approximately 170 nm thick Nb-Sn films were sputter-coated onto flat Nb substrates positioned to replicate the beam tube and equator regions of a 2.6 GHz cavity, followed by annealing at 950 °C for 3 hours to form Nb$_3$Sn. The composition, morphology, and structure of the annealed Nb$_3$Sn films were examined. Then, a ~1.2 m-thick film was sputter-coated onto the interior of a 2.6 GHz Nb cavity following the procedure developed for the flat samples. The cavity was subsequently annealed under the same conditions used for the flat samples. Cryogenic RF testing of the sputter-coated cavity demonstrated a T$_c$ of approximately 17.8 K, consistent with Nb$_3$Sn layer. Subsequently, the cavity underwent a light Sn recoating followed by a vapor diffusion Nb$_3$Sn coating process, achieving a quality factor of approximately 8.5 × 10$^9$ and an accelerating gradient of up to 11.3 MV/m at 4.2 K.

Shakel, Md Sharifuzzaman [Old Dominion U.; Jeffers↗
DOE OSTI2020

Crystallization of TiO 2 polymorphs from RF-sputtered, amorphous thin-film precursors

Crystalline TiO 2 films of anatase, brookite, and rutile are reproducibly made from amorphous precursors deposited by RF magnetron sputtering, producing large-area, single phase films of uniform thickness. Sputtered amorphous TiO 2 precursor thin films follow the general behavior observed for amorphous precursor thin films generated by pulsed laser deposition, namely, that oxygen deficiency is necessary for the formation of brookite and rutile. We quantify the oxygen deficiency and correlate it with the long wavelength optical absorption. We find that the precursor deposition rate is also a contributing factor to phase selection and that brookite and rutile form from films deposited more rapidly and anatase from films deposited more slowly. Sputtered and pulsed laser deposited amorphous precursor films prepared with similar oxygen deficiency and similar thickness result in the same final state after annealing, but the rate for sputtered precursors is slower.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Investigation on Target Erosion and Effect of Deposition Rate on Microstructure and Properties of Sputtered Be Coating

The beryllium coatings were prepared by direct current magnetron sputtering at different powers. The target erosion rate was theoretically predicted on the basis of the conservation of electric charge and mass. The experiment based on weighing method was performed, which verified the theoretical prediction. XRD analysis reveals that the sputter coatings mainly consist of α-Be phase. On increasing deposition rates, the surface morphology shows a transition from a regular equiaxed grain to a cauliflower-like polygrain owing to the irregular arrangement of atoms and bulk diffusion enhancement originating from the sputtering thermal effect. A heterogeneous particulate-induced growth was observed and derived from fallen scrap during the sputtering process. The surface roughness displays a power function with the thickness increment, while the electrical resistivity is reversed with the grain size.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Comprehensive characterization of CIGS absorber layers grown by one-step sputtering process

We have demonstrated that the use of a one-step sputtering process allowed for the fabrication of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin films by RF magnetron sputtering without an additional selenization process. The CIGS thin films deposited at different substrate temperatures were synthesized on soda-lime glass (SLG) substrates using a single quaternary CIGS target. The film composition ratios of ([Cu]/[In]+[Ga]), ([Ga]/[In]+[Ga]), and ([Se]/[Cu]+[In]+[Ga]) were almost consistent with those of the sputtering target. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman results showed that the crystallinity of the CIGS thin films was gradually improved as substrate temperatures increased. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the films grown at 600 degrees C have a columnar structure with the grain size of ~100 nm. In addition, for the CIGS films grown at 600 degrees C, TEM-EDX analysis revealed that the synchronized fluctuation of the Cu and Se signals was observed in the direction of the film depth, while the In and Ga signals were constant. As a result, the CIGS solar cell made using the film showed a degraded cell efficiency of 2.5%, which might be have been caused by not only Cu-rich and Se-poor compositions but the locally unstable composition in the CIGS films fabricated by one-step sputtering.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Influence of heavier impurity deposition on surface morphology development and sputtering behavior explored in multiple linear plasma devices

Surface morphology development and sputtering behavior of Cr, as a test material, have been explored under He plasma exposure at a low incident ion energy of ~80 eV in multiple linear plasma devices: PISCES-A, PSI-2, and NAGDIS-II. From comparison of the experiments in these devices, deposition of a small amount of heavier impurities (Mo in NAGDIS-II and Ta in PISCES-A) onto Cr is found to result in the formation of cone structures on the Cr surface due to preferential sputtering, resulting in a significant reduction (up to ~10 times) in the sputtering yield of Cr due to line-of-sight redeposition onto the neighboring cones. The heavier impurities are thought to originate from a sample holding cap/cover, which can be sputtered by a trace amount of intrinsic impurities (C, O, etc) as well as by Cr ionized in the plasma. It can be concluded from the Cr experiments, as well as additional Be data collected in PISCES-B, that heavier impurity deposition plays a major role in the cone structure formation, while other mechanisms (e.g. surface irregularity and oxide) also exist.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Deposition pressure dependent structural and optoelectronic properties of ex-situ boron-doped poly-Si/SiO x passivating contacts based on sputtered silicon

Among common methods to form polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) films for passivating-contact solar cells, physical vapor deposition, in particular sputtering, is the safest one as it does not require any toxic gaseous precursors. One of the critical parameters to control the properties of sputtered silicon films is their deposition pressure. In this work, structural and optoelectronic characteristics of ex-situ boron-doped poly-Si/SiO x passivating contacts, formed from sputtered intrinsic amorphous silicon (a-Si) deposited at different pressures on top of SiO x /c-Si substrates and subjected to a high-temperature boron diffusion step, are investigated. The deposition rate and density of the as-deposited a-Si films increase with reducing pressure. Low-temperature photoluminescence spectra captured from the as-deposited samples at different pressures do not show typical emissions from hydrogenated a-Si. Meanwhile, their Fourier-transform infrared absorption spectra all show Si–H stretching modes, indicating that hydrogen had been initially incorporated into the chemical SiO x layers and eventually hydrogenated the a-Si/SiO x interfaces during the sputtering process. After the high-temperature boron-diffusion step, all hydrogen-related peaks disappear. Lower pressure films (1.5 and 2.5 mTorr) show more consistent improved performance after hydrogen treatments, compared to higher pressure films (4 and 5 mTorr). Overall, the resultant passivating contacts at 2.5 mTorr achieve a low single-side recombination current density Jo of ~9 fA/cm 2 , whereas their contact resistivity is still low at 15 mO cm 2 .

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗