Elena Maria Tresso

Influence of doping on the structural and optoelectronic properties of amorphous and microcrystalline silicon carbide

Amorphous and microcrystalline silicon carbide, undoped and doped, has attracted a great attention for its optical and electrical properties. The introduction of dopant atoms in the network of amorphous films permits the control of electrical properties but it gives rise to a decreasing of the optical gap. Microcrystalline SiC:H films seem to provide films having a wide range of electrical conductivities without drastic change in the optical gap. This paper presents the results of a detailed study on the effects of boron and phosphorus doping on structural, optical, and electrical properties of a‐SiC:H and μc‐SiC:H films. An optical gap as high as 2.1 eV, together with a conductivity of 10−3 Ω−1 cm−1, are shown by doped μc‐SiC:H.

New approach to optical analysis of absorbing thin solid films.

A powerful new technique is reported which enables realistic calculation of the optical energy gap of absorbing thin solid films by an analysis of measured transmittance and reflectance spectra in the fundamental absorption region. At the same time a new analytical method allows the thickness of films to be evaluated by measurements of transmittance only.

Optoelectronic properties, structure and composition of a-SiC:H films grown in undiluted and H2 diluted silane-methane plasma

a-SiC:H films with energy gap in the range 2.00–2.65 eV have been grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition in undiluted and H2 diluted SiH4+CH4 gas mixtures, by making use of optimized deposition conditions. A complete picture of structural, compositional, optoelectronic, and defective properties for high quality films has been drawn for the first time. We show that the addition of H2 to the gas mixture leads to a different chemical composition of the deposited films; in particular, carbon incorporation is enhanced and a carbon fraction in the solid matrix up to C/(C+Si)≈0.45 can be obtained. These films have a higher mass density, a reduced microvoid and carbon cluster concentration, a better structural connectivity, and improved optoelectronic properties. For samples with optical gap below 2.4 eV, the reduced defect concentration of H2 diluted films results in an increase of the photoconductivity gain and the steady-state (ημτ)ss values up to two orders of magnitude.

Optical, structural and electrical properties of device-quality hydrogenated amorphous silicon-nitrogen films deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition

Abstract High-electronic quality hydrogenated amorphous silicon-nitrogen (a-Si1-xNx: H) films with an energy gap in the range 1.9-2.7eV have been deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition in silane-ammonia gas mixtures at two different gas residence times and in hydrogen-diluted silane-ammonia gas mixtures. Compositional, structural, electrical and optical properties have been investigated. For the first time the effects of hydrogen dilution of SiH4 + NH3 gas mixtures on the a-Si1-xNx: H network is reported. We have observed that hydrogen dilution decreases hydrogen incorporation and increases nitrogen incorporation, promoting a higher connectivity of the a-Si1-xNx :H network. All films show good electronic properties, comparable with or superior to those of amorphous silicon-carbon films, which are improved in films deposited from hydrogen-diluted gas mixtures.

Structural properties of a-Si1−xNx:H films grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition by SiH4 + NH3 + H2 gas mixtures

Abstract Amorphous silicon-nitrogen (a-Si 1− x N x :H) alloys with x in the range 0.01–0.57 have been deposited in a dedicated chamber by ultra high vacuum plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) in SiH 4 + NH 3 gas mixtures with different molecule dwell time and by hydrogen diluting the plasma. By optical spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) and infrared spectroscopy (IR) a complete picture of bonding distribution and structural properties of device-quality a-Si 1− x N x :H films as a function of deposition conditions has been drawn. Annealing experiments under vacuum up to 500°C have shown that in all the compositional range the films are thermally stable up to 400°C, for higher temperature bonded hydrogen effuses from both silicon and nitrogen atoms with behaviours dependent on nitrogen content in the film.

A Chemometric Approach for the Sensitization Procedure of ZnO Flowerlike Microstructures for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

In this paper, a methodology for the streamlining of the sensitization procedure of flowerlike ZnO nanostructures for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) is reported. The sensitization of ZnO surface with ruthenium-based complexes is a particularly critical process, since one has to minimize the dissolution of surface Zn atoms by the protons released from the dye molecules, leading to the formation of Zn(2+)/dye complexes. The fine-tuning of the experimental parameters, such as the dye loading time, the dye concentration, and the pH of the sensitizing solution, performed through a multivariate optimization by means of a chemometric approach, is here reported. The dye loading procedure was optimized using ZnO microparticles with nanostructured protrusions, synthesized by a simple and low-cost hydrothermal process. Mild reaction conditions were used, and wurtzite-like crystalline structure with a relatively high surface area was obtained once the reaction process was completed. After dispersion of ZnO flowerlike particles in an acetic acid-based solution, a 14 μm-thick ZnO layer acting as DSC photoanode was fabricated. The optimized sensitization procedure allowed minimizing the instability of ZnO surface in contact with acidic dyes, avoiding the formation of molecular agglomerates unable to inject electrons in the ZnO conduction band, achieving good results in the photoconversion efficiency. Moreover, the photoharvesting properties were further enhanced by adding N-methylbenzimidazole into the iodine-based liquid electrolyte. Such an additive was proposed here for the first time in combination with a ZnO photoelectrode, helping to reduce an undesired recombination between the photoinjected electrons and the oxidized redox mediator.

Toward Totally Flexible Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Based on Titanium Grids and Polymeric Electrolyte

In this work, we present a novelty in the dye-sensitized solar cell scenario: a quasi-solid and completely flexible configuration based on plastic substrates and metallic meshes as support. The aim is to obtain a portable efficient device that can be competitive in the solar market due to the low cost and easy-to-prepare materials used for its fabrication. To fulfill this purpose, three different typologies of devices are proposed and tested in order to move from a rigid to a completely flexible setup in a gradual way. Materials and cells have been thoroughly characterized and tested by means of physicochemical, electrical, and electrochemical measurements to investigate the observed performances and the results that are reported in this paper.

In situ MoS2 Decoration of Laser-Induced Graphene as Flexible Supercapacitor Electrodes

Herein, we are reporting a rapid one-pot synthesis of MoS2-decorated laser-induced graphene (MoS2-LIG) by direct writing of polyimide foils. By covering the polymer surface with a layer of MoS2 dispersion before processing, it is possible to obtain an in situ decoration of a porous graphene network during laser writing. The resulting material is a three-dimensional arrangement of agglomerated and wrinkled graphene flakes decorated by MoS2 nanosheets with good electrical properties and high surface area, suitable to be employed as electrodes for supercapacitors, enabling both electric double-layer and pseudo-capacitance behaviors. A deep investigation of the material properties has been performed to understand the chemical and physical characteristics of the hybrid MoS2-graphene-like material. Symmetric supercapacitors have been assembled in planar configuration exploiting the polymeric electrolyte; the resulting performances of the here-proposed material allow the prediction of the enormous potentialities of these flexible energy-storage devices for industrial-scale production.

Compositional and structural properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon-carbon films prepared by ultra-high-vacuum plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition with different carbon sources

Abstract Hydrogenated amorphous silicon-carbon films were deposited by ultra-highvacuum plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition in silane + methane and silane + acetylene gas mixtures. Both types of film were compared with respect to their compositional, optical and structural properties. They have an optical gap in the range 2·3–3·3 eV for [C]/[C + Si] between 0·2 and 0·7 and possess high uniformity. The deposition rate of C2H2-based films is 4–5 A s−1, one order of magnitude higher than Ch4-based films having large bandgap. By infrared (IR) spectroscopy, marked differences in carbon and hydrogen incorporation have been found for the films grown using the two different carbon sources. Analysis of the IR spectra reveals, among the most important structural characteristics, that the films grown from the SiH4 + Ch4 plasma have a higher concentration of Si-C bonds than those grown from SiH4 + C2H2, and that C2H2-based alloys allow the formation of carbon clusters during the growth of the films. Considerat...

PHOTOLUMINESCENCE AND ELECTRONIC DENSITY OF STATES IN A-C:H FILMS

The density of states in the energy region near Fermi level for hydrogenated amorphous carbon thin films is presented. The different types of states are identified in their origin and the problem of their detection is considered. It is shown that only some of these states are accessible to detection by electron spin resonance. A quantitative correlation between their density and the quantum efficiency of the room temperature photoluminescence process is achieved. Such correlation applies to films having a wide range of physical properties deposited by different techniques.