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Microscopic Model for Creation And Removal of Metastable Dangling Bonds in a-Si:H

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Abstract

We present a new microscopic model for metastable Si dangling bond defect creation in hydrogenated amorphous silicon, which is applicable to both light-induced and carrier-induced defect creation. The key feature of our model is that hydrogen is always in the tedrahedral-like site, which is strongly bound in amorphous silicon, and never in the bond-centered site. Breaking of Si-Si bonds and successive stabilisation by bond-switching of nearby hydrogen from doubly hydrogenated Si-Si bonds (SiHHSi) results in two hydrogen-stabilised dangling bonds (SiHD). Since hydrogen is in the Td site in all configurations, this defect creation reaction is consistent with ESR, NMR, hydrogenation experiments and the mechanical stress dependence of defect creation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institute of Microstructure Physics, Weinberg 2, 06120, Halle, Germany

    R. B. Wehrspohn

  2. Philips Research Laboratories, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 5HA, UK

    M. J. Powell & S. C. Deane

Authors
  1. M. J. Powell
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  2. S. C. Deane
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  3. R. B. Wehrspohn
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Powell, M.J., Deane, S.C. & Wehrspohn, R.B. Microscopic Model for Creation And Removal of Metastable Dangling Bonds in a-Si:H. MRS Online Proceedings Library 715, 111 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-715-A11.1

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