Physics of
Semiconductors
Group
Welcome to the PSG website!
The PSG is integrated by scientists, engineers and postgraduate students and is dedicated to development of photovoltaic, optoelectronic, photonic devices based on silicon semiconductor technology.
Since 1980 this group is involved mainly in research on nanostructured and thin film semiconductors. We focus specifically on silicon solar cells as well as on the development of macro-, meso- and micro-porous silicon thin films.
The techniques employed for our investigation are FTIR, Raman,
UV-Vis
and photoacustic spectrometry, absorption coefficient and spectral
response determinations, conductivity and minority carrier
concentration and diffusion length measurements. We have also
deposition and coating equipment like chlorosilane and plasma enhanced
chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactors, DC sputtering and evaporation
chamber.
Along with some collaborators we are able to perform Auger
spectroscopy, optical as well as atomic force.
About silicon solar cells...
Solar energy conversion has been growing up enormously as an alternative for production of electrical power by means of photovoltaic devices. Silicon, which is one of the most abundant elements in our planet, posses great properties for achieving this conversion. For several years worldwide research has been dealing with different ways of processing and obtaining silicon to conform monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous solar cells. Each of these types has its own advantages and disadvantages. The main goal is to maximize the efficiency of solar energy conversion while reducing the production cost of these devices, which is a... [+]
About porous silicon...
Porous silicon (PS) has
gained great relevance since the discovery
of its luminescence in the visible spectral range. As consequence,
nanostructured PS has been extensively studied for different types of
technological applications such as photonics and opto-electronics.
Besides, PS morphology is composed by a disordered net of pores
entering into Si, which confers to PS a large internal specific area.
This property was the main reason for the development of biosensing
devices based on PS. [+]