Photoresponse properties of BaSi₂film grown on Si (100) by vacuum evaporation

Abstract

We have succeeded in the observation of high photoresponsivity of orthorhombic BaSi2 film grown on crystalline Si by a vacuum evaporation method, raising the prospect of its promising application in high-efficiency thin-film solar cells. Photocurrent was observed at photon energies larger than 1.28 eV, which corresponds to the band gap of evaporated BaSi2 film, indicating that the photoresponsivity originates from the BaSi2 film. The effect of the substrate temperature on the film's properties was also investigated. The films grown at a substrate temperature larger than 500 °C are single-phase polycrystalline BaSi2 films, while those grown at a substrate temperature of 400 °C is a mixture of phases. We confirmed that undoped evaporated BaSi2 films are an n-type material with high carrier concentration. High carrier lifetime of 4.8 and 2.7 μs can be found for the films grown at 500 °C and 400 °C, respectively. BaSi2 film grown at a substrate temperature of 500 °C, which is crack-free and single-phase, shows the best photoresponsivity. The maximum value of photocurrent was obtained at photon energy of 1.9 eV, corresponding to an external quantum efficiency of 22% under reverse applied voltage of 2 V.