Semiconductors: amorphous, 37 doped

Doping effects have also been observed for (almost) hydrogen-free a-Si films prepared by vacuum evaporation (Beyer et al, 1979a) and by pyrolytic chemical vapor deposition (Hirose, 1981), as well as for a-Si films containing oxygen (Beyer, 1979) and fluorine (Matsumura et al, 1980). For other amorphous semiconductors successful doping has also been reported, as,... 

The microscopic mechanisms for the MNM transition described in the previous section are quite general. They can be related to a wide variety of physical systems. These include not only expanded electronically conducting fluids, but liquid solutions such as the molten metal-salt solutions, metal-ammonia solutions, semiconducting liquid alloys, etc. The mechanisms are also relevant to the MNM transitions in various solids, including amorphous semiconductors, heavily doped crystalline semiconductors, and metal oxides. Our concern is with fluids and so we turn now to summarize briefly some of the theoretical investigations specifically focused on the MNM transition and its relation to the phase transition behavior of fluid metals. 

The success has been primarily due to the developments that occurred in the eady 1970s (3) at the University of Dundee (United Kingdom) where it was demonstrated that a device-quaUty amorphous siUcon semiconductor (i -Si) could be produced with the following features low concentration of defects, high photosensitivity, abiUty to be doped, and no size limitation. 

The two extremes of ordering in solids are perfect crystals with complete regularity and amorphous solids that have little symmetry. Most solid materials are crystalline but contain defects. Crystalline defects can profoundly alter the properties of a solid material, often in ways that have usefial applications. Doped semiconductors, described in Section 10-, are solids into which impurity defects are introduced deliberately in order to modify electrical conductivity. Gemstones are crystals containing impurities that give them their color. Sapphires and rubies are imperfect crystals of colorless AI2 O3, red. 

A turning point in the study of amorphous semiconductors was reached with the discovery that the addition of hydrogen to amorphous silicon could dramatically improve the material s optical and electrical properties. Unlike pure amorphous silicon, which is not photoconductive and cannot be readily doped, hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si H) displays a photoconductive gain of over six orders of magnitude and its dark conductivity can be changed by over ten orders of magnitude by n-type or p-type... 

Sihcon of hyperpurity, doped with trace elements, such as boron, phosphorus, arsenic, and gadium is one of the best semiconductors. They are used in transistors, power rectifiers, diodes and solar ceds. Sihcon rectifiers are most efficient in converting a-c to d-c electricity. Hydrogenated amorphous sihcon converts solar energy into electricity. 

The specific application of a material generally determines the particular structure desired. For example, hydrogenated amorphous silicon is used for solar cells and some specialized electronic devices (10). Because of their higher carrier mobility (see Carrier Transport, Generation, and Recombination), single-crystalline elemental or compound semiconductors are used in the majority of electronic devices. Polycrystalline metal films and highly doped polycrystalline films of silicon are used for conductors and resistors in device applications. 

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