Determination of the Energy Distribution of Defect States in Semiconducting Films Bandgap Tails

Adam Hanninen and Mark Mackey

University of Minnesota

Methods of Experimental Physics Spring 2012

Abstract

We report on the determination of the energy distribution of defect states existing in the conduction band tail of various semiconducting films composed of hydrogenated mixed-phase amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon (a/nc-Si:H). Our goal was to determine how the distribution of defect states depends on the volume concentration of nanocrystalline silicon. Our results indicate that low densities of nanocrystalline (2-5%) produce more defect states than pure amorphous silicon.