An electron-spin-resonance study of laser crystallized polycrystalline silicon

Abstract Electron states in phosphorus doped laser crystallized polycrystalline silicon are investigated employing electron-spin-resonance measurements. The spectra reveal two resonances: a defect resonance assigned to silicon dangling bonds ( g =2.0053) and the resonance due to conducting electrons ( g =1.998). The temperature dependence of the susceptibility of the latter resonance can be described by a sum of a Curie- and a Pauli-like paramagnetism. As the Curie contribution decreases with increasing doping concentration the Pauli contribution increases. The defect density as a function of the doping concentration is constant for low doping concentrations and decreases for values larger than 10 19 cm −3 . The results are discussed in terms of models developed for single crystal, amorphous and microcrystalline silicon.