Interface Processing of Amorphous–Crystalline Silicon Heterojunction Prior to the Formation of Amorphous-to-Nanocrystalline Transition Phase

Two effective interface optimizations, i.e., hydrogen-plasma treatment (HPT) and oxygen incorporation (OIn), have been investigated to optimize the interface structure and promote the formation of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) with an amorphous-to-nanocrystalline transition phase based on the surface passivation of crystalline silicon. Both multistep HPT and intentional OIn are capable of producing a compact interface and a transition phase in the case of initial a-Si:H films deposited under different conditions. An appropriate multistep HPT is responsible for modifying the a-Si:H into a transition phase, whereas an effective OIn forms a disordered and more compact interface, as well as a crystallite-isolated and more transparent structure.