Methodology and Error Analysis of Direct Resistance Measurements Used for the Quantification of Boron–Hydrogen Pairs in Crystalline Silicon
Axel Herguth, Clemens Winter
Abstract
A method for quantifying dopant-hydrogen pairs and their formation dynamics in crystalline silicon by means of directly contacted resistance measurements is presented and exemplarily validated. The method can also be applied in-situ in the temperature range where dopant-hydrogen pair formation occurs. Furthermore, the influence of different confounding factors such as a faulty assumption of doping level, unnoticed temperature variations, and unwanted illumination is quantified. It is concluded that the detection limit of dopant-hydrogen pairs of the presented method is most likely limited by unnoticed temperature fluctuations and scales with the actual dopant concentration. For crystalline silicon doped with 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">16</sup> cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-3</sup> as it is usually used for photovoltaic applications, the detection limit is found to be below 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">13</sup> cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-3</sup> .