Auger analysis of silicon thin films deposited on carbon at high temperatures

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Abstract
Silicon films (2000–3000 Å thick) were vacuum deposited onto pyrolytic graphite, extruded graphite, and glassy carbon at 1150–1200 °C to test the possibility of using carbon as a substrate in thin‐film silicon solar cells. The distribution of silicon and carbon in the carbon‐silicon interface was studied using Auger spectroscopic depth profiling. The results showed that, for all substrates, carbon diffused deeply into silicon films, and for all substrates except glassy carbon, silicon also diffused deeply into carbon. In both cases, silicon carbide is formed. Several methods to build diffusion barriers were tested. A diffusion mechanism is proposed according to which silicon atoms first form a carbide layer with the surface carbon atoms, whereafter cracking of the carbon lattice and diffusion of silicon through the carbide layers into the carbon substrates follow. This mechanism is shown to explain very well the dependence of the measured silicon and carbon contents on the structure of the carbon substrates used for depositions.

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