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Tuning Electrical Properties and Achieving High TCR in P-Doped a-SixC1−x:H Films

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Abstract

In this study, the characteristics of phosphorus-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide prepared by radio-frequency glow discharge decomposition of a mixture of silane (SiH4), methane (CH4) and hydrogen (H2) were investigated. Molecular vibration, surface morphology, dark electrical conductivity, and activation energy were analyzed. The gas phase composition of CH4 was varied in the range of 0.40–0.95 relative to SiH4, while the molar fraction of phosphine (PH3) in the gas phase was adjusted from 2.75% to 10%. It was observed that the molar fraction of carbon (C) in the film affects its homogeneity, resulting in the formation of regions rich in silicon (Si) and amorphous silicon carbide (a-SixC1−x), as well as the formation of nc-Si clusters, leading to lower surface roughness. The variation in electrical properties concerning do** and the molar fraction of carbon is consistently explained in this study.

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Data Availability

The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to the Microelectronics Laboratory team for their help and collaboration, Armando Hernández, Víctor Aca, and Ignacio Juárez, to Leticia Tecuapetla and Carlos Netzahualcoyotl for their valuable collaboration in conducting the AFM and Raman measurements, respectively.

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  1. Electronics Department, Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, Luis Enrique Erro # 1, Santa María Tonantzintla, San Andrés Cholula, 72840, Puebla, Mexico

    D. F. Valencia-Grisales & C. Reyes-Betanzo

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Valencia-Grisales, D.F., Reyes-Betanzo, C. Tuning Electrical Properties and Achieving High TCR in P-Doped a-SixC1−x:H Films. J. Electron. Mater. 53, 3946–3955 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-024-11166-x

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