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Modeling the sputter deposition of thin film photovoltaics using long time scale dynamics techniques

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posted on 2013-02-01, 10:23 authored by Sabrina Blackwell, Roger Smith, Steven KennySteven Kenny, Michael WallsMichael Walls
Results are presented for modeling the deposition of Ag and rutile TiO2. The model can be used to examine the effect of varying experimental parameters, such as the substrate bias in the magnetron and the stoichiometry of the deposition species. We illustrate how long time scale dynamics techniques can be used to model the process over experimental time scales. Long time dynamics is achieved through an on-the-fly Kinetic Monte Carlo (otf-KMC) method, which determines diffusion pathways and barriers, in parallel, with no prior knowledge of the involved transitions. Using this otf-KMC method we have modeled the deposition of Ag and TiO2 for various plasma deposition energies, in the range 1 eV to 100 eV. It was found that Ag {111} produces the most crystalline growth when deposited at 40 eV. TiO2 growth showed that at energies of 1 eV and 100 eV a porous structure occurs with void formation. At deposition energies of 30 eV and 40 eV, a more dense and crystalline rutile growth forms. The results show that deposition energy plays an important role in the resulting thin film quality and surface morphology.

History

School

  • Science

Department

  • Mathematical Sciences

Citation

BLACKWELL, S. ... et al., 2011. Modeling the sputter deposition of thin film photovoltaics using long time scale dynamics techniques. MRS Proceedings, MRS Spring Meeting 2011, 1327, pp. 56 - 61.

Publisher

Cambridge University Press © Materials Research Society

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Publication date

2011

Notes

This article was published in Materials Research Society Proceedings [© Materials Research Society] and the definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1557/opl.2011.1124

ISSN

0272-9172

Language

  • en

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