Innovative window layer for amorphous silicon/amorphous silicon carbide UV sensor

Abstract In this work, we utilize an ultra-thin (below 5 nm) chromium silicide film as window layer on the top of an UV photodetector. The sensor is based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) n–i–p structure deposited on glass substrate with a grid-shaped top-electrode. The innovative layer is formed on the top of the amorphous films and acts as a shunt of the p-layer. The chromium silicide film leads to two advantages: first, it avoids the forward self-biasing polarization of the region between finger electrodes and second, it eliminates the effect of the boron activation in the p-doped layer under UV radiation.