Electrical and optical properties of organic thin films

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the applicability of organic thin films as electrical insulators in metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) and metal-insulator-metal (MIM) devices and as anti-reflective (A-R) coatings for solar cells. Films of anthracene, stearic acid and diacetylene alcohol were examined for their electrical and optical properties.

Two techniques were used to deposit the films for these studies. Thermal evaporation in vacuum was used to deposit aluminum as electrodes and contacts in MIS and MIM devices. The organic films were deposited by either thermal evaporation or the Langmuir-Blodgett (L-B) dipping technique. Several vacuum systems and an L-B trough were fabricated for these studies and their design and construction are outlined.

Several types of measurements were used to examine the properties of the organic films. Optical reflectance measurements of the diacetylene alcohol and stearic acid, both deposited by the L-B technique, on commercial silicon solar cells were used to study the potential use of these types of films as A-R and protective coatings. Electrical breakdown studies of the MIM devices were conducted to determine the maximum electric fields the insulators could withstand without destruction. Capacitance versus voltage (C-V) measurements of the organic films in MIS devices were used to determine surface defect densities at the semiconductor/insulator interface.

For each type of measurements made on the devices, theories are outlined to analyze the data obtained. The optical reflectance data are analyzed using standard electromagnetic theory. The electrical breakdown data are examined using the theories of Forlani and Minnaja (F-M) and Klein. The C-V data are examined using several different theories to determine charge and defect densities and to analyze the effects of thermal stressing and annealing. Finally, conclusions are drawn as to the applicability of these types of organic materials as insulators and coatings for semiconductor devices.