The configurational energy gap between amorphous and crystalline silicon

Abstract

Abstract The crystallization enthalpy of pure amorphous silicon (a‐Si) and hydrogenated a‐Si was measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for a large set of materials deposited from the vapour phase by different techniques. Although the values cover a wide range (200–480 J/g), the minimum value is common to all the deposition techniques used and close to the predicted minimum strain energy of relaxed a‐Si (240 ± 25 J/g). This result gives a reliable value for the configurational energy gap between a‐Si and crystalline silicon. An excess of enthalpy above this minimum value can be ascribed to coordination defects. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)