Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition of a-Si:H from Disilane: For Thin Film Solar Cells

Our sun's boundless power can, and should, supply a large portion of our energy needs. Thin film solar cells are flexible and relatively cheap, making it possible for us to cover our infrastructure, vehicles, and military tents with non-polluting, decentralized power generation. Such cells are commerically available and are produced by Powerfilm, Inc. in Iowa in the form of wide, polymer-backed rolls. This is made possible by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Still, electrical plasmas, and the equipment required to generate them, are complex. In this work, a simpler method requiring only heat and pressure is investigated. Good quality hydogenated, amorphous silicon was deposited at high rates by the use of disilane instead of monosilane. A few pitfalls were identified along the way.