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Abstract: Internal photoemission (IPE) has been successfully applied to evaluate band offsets of heterojunctions (HJs) in crystalline silicon (c-Si)-based solar cells. Tunneling of carriers through the potential spike at HJ and the presence of a carrier conduction path in the wide-band-gap material of HJ can affect the IPE results. In other words, IPE measures the effective band discontinuity, including effects of the carrier conduction path. This feature of IPE is suited for the characterization of solar-cell structures. Results obtained for hydrogenated amorphous silicon/c-Si HJ and gallium phosphide/c-Si HJ are presented and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To obtain the] morphology of ultrathin hydrogenated amorphous silicon (α-Si:H) films with thicknesses of 2-10 nm grown by thermal chemical-vapor deposition, we have utilized spectroscopic ellipsometry and introduced a model, called the fine crystalline grain model. This model resolves that the growth of the amorphous silicon matrix starts with the formation of dense deformed crystallites or paracrystallites. A better fit to the experimental data has been obtained with this model when the α-Si:H film thickness is below 20 nm. The fine grain component gradually decreases with the film growth. It has been clarified that the presence of deformed crystallites in the starting α-Si:H films acts as a constraint for their crystallization by rapid thermal annealing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this reply, we address the issues raised regarding our article [J. Appl. Phys. 90, 1067 (2001)] and show that spectroscopic ellipsometry is a tool to identify the paracrystallinity of the ultathin hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) films. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]