Solution grown polysilicon for photovoltaic devices

A process has been developed for the low temperature deposition of polysilicon films from a thin layer of Si-metal melt, onto SiO/sub 2/, or glass substrates. Substrate temperatures ranged from 450/spl deg/ to 650/spl deg/ C. The wetting behavior of the liquid layer onto the substrate has been found very important. Morphological results are very good if a Ti wetting layer is used; films with grain size of up to 25 /spl mu/m are deposited. These films show highly preferred (111) orientation, good hole mobility (/spl sim/100 cm/sup 2/ V/sup -1/ s/sup -1/), but very poor photoconductivity. Not using a wetting layer results in a smaller grain size, poorer electron mobility (up to 60 cm/sup 2/ V/sup -1/ s/sup -1/), but improved photoconductivity. Trends are found linking electrical properties to to deposition temperature and thickness of solvent layer used. Some improvement is found by ECR plasma hydrogenation.