Suicide mediated grown silicon thin films for photodiodes

Quality Si thin films were grown by the metal-induced growth (MIG) method. Metal (Co, Ni, or mixing of Co and Ni) was thermally evaporated on a 200 nm-SiO₂ coated Si wafer. Si sputtering was performed at 600-620°C in a dc magnetron system. The reaction of Si and metal first formed a suicide (CoSi₂ or NiSi₂) layer and further Si sputtering grew a Si film above it. The grown Si films were practically fabricated for Schottky photodiodes and electrically measured under one sun scan illumination (100 mW/cm ). The mixing of Co and Ni case improved the short circuit current density of 10.6 mA/cm², which is one order higher than that for the single Co catalyst case.