Electrolysis as a controllable method for establishing p-n junctions in multi-nanolayer films of amorphous selenium.

We present a controllable way of establishing a p-n junction in amorphous selenium (a-Se) using electrolysis. Amorphous selenium is used as an anode in the electrolysis of NaCl solution. By varying the duration of the electrolysis, we can make the contact to a-Se either Ohmic or rectifying and control the built-in potential and full depletion voltage of the contacts and junctions formed in the a-Se. I-V and C-V measurements show that after electrolysis rectification occurs and that as the duration of electrolysis increases, the direction of rectification changes, with the magnitudes of the built-in potential and the full depletion becoming higher. From the results, we present a model for the electrochemical process of forming the p-n junction and highlight the dependence on the duration of the electrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]