IOSR Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IOSR-JEEE)

e-ISSN: 2278-1676!-ISSN: 2"2#-"""1 $olu%e & Issue 1 $er' I$ ((e)' 2#1*) ++ 68-76
,,,'iosr-ournals'org
Full wafer 3D modelling of power distribution during microwave
annealing of doped c-Si
S D Das
.entre of E/cellence for 0reen Energ1 and Sensor S1ste%s2ES3 India
Abstract: 4!!lication of %icro,a5e for ra!id annealing !ur!oses 6a5e )een recentl1 introduced for silicon
and a!art fro% %an1 ad5antages t6at it en-o1s it 6as also !ro5ide a5enue to ra!id recr1stallisation and
reduction of defects' One of t6e a!!lications of suc6 tec6nolog1 is %icro,a5e annealed re-cr1stallised solar
cells' In t6is ,or7 %odelling of %icro,a5e !o,er s!atial distri)ution in do!ed cr1stalline silicon (c-Si) is
!resented for ad5ance%ent of re-cr1stallised solar cell tec6nolog1' 8el%6olt9 e:uation ,as sol5ed for
deter%ination of electric field distri)ution inside t6e %aterial s1ste% using "; e/act (inite ;ifference <et6od'
Su)se:uentl1 %icro,a5e !o,er distri)ution ,as o)tained using a!!lication of +o1nting !o,er t6eore%' 4ll
results !resented in t6is !a!er corres!onds to Industrial Scientific and <edical (IS<) fre:uenc1 of 2'*= 089'
Keywords: <icro,a5e c-Si annealing "; %odeling e(;<
I. INTROD!TION
Microwave annealing is useful in semiconductor annealing processes because of extremely rapid rise in
temperature to very high values. A typical rapid annealing cycle using microwave radiation last for few seconds
and could raise the temperature in the range of 2000
o
C with in fraction of a second depending upon freuency
and material !"#. $ther advantages of microwave annealing in semiconductor processing includes selective
heating% defect elimination in ion implanted silicon% and dopant activation !2&'#. Microwave annealing is a
sustainable technology and it is particularly useful for recrystallised solar cells !(#. )arge bandgap and narrow
bandgap semiconductor processing using microwave annealing has been reported !*&+#% but not widely.
Dependence of different parameters% such as dimension and composition of sample% mode of incident radiation
etc. have been studied in these wor,s.
A full wafer 'D modelling of system will be presented in this wor, to model the power distribution
during microwave annealing. -his distribution is responsible for temperature distribution inside a c&Si wafer
during microwave annealing which is crucial for uniform recrystallisation for recrystallised solar cells. -he
distribution pattern depends on standing wave pattern formation of microwave radiation inside the sample.
.reuency of microwave along with dimensions of heating chamber and sample% play crucial part in this regard.
Magnitude of rise in temperature and its distribution due to absorption of microwave energy also depends on
local material properties. /n case of narrow bandgap non&polar semiconductor such as c&Si dielectric constant is
such material property. Dielectric constant of c&Si depends on may different physical mechanisms and which
mechanism will dominate is function of freuency. -hus power distribution is dependent on many different
physical parameters and are sensitive to different parameters by different amount. -o model the distribution
accurately 0elmholt1 euation needs to be solved with good degree of accuracy. Many different techniues are
available for such purpose and one popular method is .inite Difference Method 2.DM3. Most .DMs introduces
truncation errors. A recent techniue 4xact .inite Difference Method 2e.DM3 has been introduced in 2D by
5ong et. al. 220""3% which do not introduce truncation errors !6#. /n this wor, we investigate dependence of
absorbed microwave power distribution in doped 2c&Si3 at /SM freuency of 2.(* 701 at '008. .or such
purpose 'D e.DM techniue will be introduced first followed by modelling results'
II. T"#OR$
/n non&polar semiconductors such as c&Si the mechanism of absorption at /SM freuency is primarily
free&carrier absorption which depends upon doping levels of the material !9#. :ower absorbed is calculated
using :oynting power theorem !;#. .or non&magnetic materials microwave power absorbed in a unit volume is
given by !"0#<
>
o

c
r

2
2"3
www.iosr=ournals.org +9 > :age
(ull ,afer "; %odelling of !o,er distri)ution during %icro,a5e annealing of do!ed c-Si
X
y
z
Base
Wafer
.ig.". Schematic of c&Si wafer placed on a microwave transparent plate inside a microwave oven.
where%
o
is permittivity of free space%
c
r
is relative imaginary part of complex dielectric function and

is
incident microwave electric field at freuency

. 4lectric field distribution of incident microwave radiation
inside a material is governed by Maxwell?s euations. -he electric field distribution in euation 2"3 is thus
obtained by solving 0elmholt1 euation !"0#<

+
2

= 0
223
where%
2
=
2

r
is the propagation constant and

r
is the relative complex dielectric function. /n this
study we consider a suare c&Si wafer placed on a transparent plate inside a microwave oven 2.ig. "3. -he oven
walls are made of metal and hence we consider electric field to be 1ero at the boundary. -hus for
=f (/ 1 9)
boundary condition can be given by <

/ 1 9 =0% ?
= 0 2'3
were% ) corresponds to maximum values in the direction of x% y and 1.
///. #%&!T FINIT# DIFF#R#N!# '#T"OD
/n this section we describe the numerical method for solution of 223. e.DM scheme enables solution to
be found numerically without truncation error. -he exact .DM scheme is described by 5ong et. al and is based
on )ambe et. al. method of using weight to modify the central difference operator. 5ong et. al. description is
for one&dimensional 2"D3 and two&dimensional 22D3 cases. /n this wor, the mathematics is extended to 'D and
adopt boundary condition described by 2'3 instead of radiation boundary condition. -he discrete euation
corresponding to 223 using .inite Difference Method is<
( /+% 1 9)2( / 1 9)+( /% 1 9)
%
2
+
( / 1+n 9 )2 ( / 1 9)+( / 1n 9 )
n
2
+
(/ 1 9+o)2 ( / 1 9)+( / 1 9o)
o
2
+
2
=0
2(3
were% standard central difference formula have been used and intervals in x&% y& @ 1&directions have %% n and o
spatial step si1es% respectively. 0ere% we consider the general case of
%no
. Asing the weight factor @ in
2(3 gives<
( /+% 1 9)+( /% 1 9 )
%
2
+
(/ 1+n 9)+( / 1n 9)
n
2
+
( / 1 9+o)+( / 1 9o)
o
2
2@
[
"
%
2
+
"
n
2
+
"
o
2
]
+
2
=0
2*3
)et (/ 1 9)=(
"%

2%

'
) and solution be of the form =
o
e
i (
"
/+
2
1+
'
9 )
% then 2*3 gives<
2cos(
"
%)@
%
2
+
2cos(
2
n)@
n
2
+
2cos(
'
o)@
o
2
+
2
=0 2+3
-hus% from 2+3 the weight factor is obtained as
@=
2[ n
2
o
2
cos(
"
%)+%
2
o
2
cos(
2
n)+%
2
n
2
cos(
'
o)]+(%no )
2
n
2
o
2
+%
2
o
2
+%
2
n
2
263
www.iosr=ournals.org 69 > :age
(ull ,afer "; %odelling of !o,er distri)ution during %icro,a5e annealing of do!ed c-Si
Asing 2*3 and 263% we can obtain uniue solution for electric field
=f (/ 1 9)
. -o establish uniueness of
the solution Aniueness theorem with proof has been provided below.
3ni:ueness A6eore%: By using e.DM scheme the 0elmholt1 euation in 'D

(/ 1 9)+
2

( / 1 9)
t
= 0
293
with boundary conditions
/ 1 9 =0% ?
= 0 has a uniue solution.
+roof: )et there be two solutions , and 5. Also% u B , -5 such that it satisfies the euation<
u( /+% 1 9)+u( /% 1 9)
%
2
+
u( / 1+n 9 )+u( / 1n 9)
n
2
+u( / 1 9 +o)+u( / 1 9o)
o
2
2
[
"
%
2
+
"
n
2
+
"
o
2
]
u+
2
u=0
2;3
which can be written as<

/
2
u
i-7
+
1
2
u
i-7
+
9
2
u
i-7
(
[
"
%
2
+
"
n
2
+
"
o
2
]
u
i-7
+
2
u
i-7
=0
fori ="% 2%... %C - ="%2.... nC 7 ="%2. ...o
2"03
Multiplying 2"03 by 5
i-7
and summing up over i - and 7% we get

i - 7 ="
% n o
(
/
2
u
i-7
+
1
2
u
i-7
+
9
2
u
i-7
)5
i-7

i - 7 ="
% n o
[
(
(
"
%
2
+
"
n
2
+
"
o
2
)
+
2
]
u
i-7
5
i-7
=0
for i ="% 2%. .. %C -="%2.... n C 7="%2. ... o
2""3
Asing discrete integration by parts%

i - 7 ="
% n o

/
2
u
i-7

5
i-7
=

i - 7 ="
% n o

/
u
i-7

5
i-7

"
%

- 7 ="
n o

/
u
%-7

5
%-7
2"23

i - 7 ="
% n o

1
2
u
i-7

5
i-7
=

i - 7="
% n o

1
u
i-7

1

5
i-7

"
n

i 7="
% o

1
u
in7

5
in7
2"'3

i - 7 ="
% n o

9
2
u
i-7

5
i-7
=

i - 7="
% n o

9
u
i-7

5
i-7

"
o

i - ="
% n

9
u
i-o

5
i-o
2"(3
along with conditions <
5
i-7
=u
i-7
for i="%2. .. %C - ="%2... n C 7 ="%2... o
u
i-7
=0 for i=0% %C - =0% n C 7=0% o
2"*3
the 2""3 becomes<

i - 7 ="
% n o

/
u
i-7

u
i-7
+

i - 7 ="
% n o

1
u
i-7

1

u
i-7
+

i - 7="
% n o

9
u
i-7

9

u
i-7

i - 7="
% n o
[
(
(
"
%
2
+
"
n
2
+
"
o
2
)
+
2
]
u
i-7
u
i-7
=0
2"+3
)et 5
i-7
be of the form 5
i-7
B a
1
%i D a
2
n- D a
"
o7 D a
*
% then first term in 2"+3 becomes<

i - 7 ="
% n o

/
u
i-7

u
i-7
=

i - 7 ="
% n o

/
u
i-7

/
(
a
"
%i+a
2
n- +a
'
o7+a
(
)
=a
"

i - 7 ="
% n o

/
u
i-7
=a
"

- 7 ="
n o
( u
% -7
u
0 -7
)=0 2"63
and this is true for
1
and
9
terms as well in 2"+3. -hus%

i - 7 ="
% n o
[
(
(
"
%
2
+
"
n
2
+
"
o
2
)
+
2
]
u
i-7
u
i-7
=0
2"93
.urther% since w and are non 1ero terms% then for any positive integer l%
www.iosr=ournals.org 70 > :age
(ull ,afer "; %odelling of !o,er distri)ution during %icro,a5e annealing of do!ed c-Si

i - 7 ="
% n o
u
i-7

5
i-7
l
=0 2";3

i - 7 ="
% n o
"
(l +")

/
2
u
i-7

5
i-7
l +"
=0 2203

i - 7 ="
% n o
"
(l +")(l +2)

/
2
u
i-7

5
i-7
l +2
=0 22"3
By mathematical induction for l B12"'''

i - 7 ="
% n o
u
i-7

5
i-7
l
=0 2223
-hus% it can be concluded that u
i-7
B 0% completing the proof of uniueness theorem.
/C. R#S(TS &ND DIS!SSIONS
-he spatial distribution of absorbed microwave power inside a metal cavity 2microwave oven3 was
obtained by solving the 'D discrete euation% 2*3% inside the metal cavity. .ull system modeling was carried out
by using spatial filtering on 'D matrix% which defines the system. -he wor, was carried out on a '2&bit
computer. .or implementation the system matrix was converted to vector and an indexing techniue defined by<
l =I ( - ")+i+(IJ )(7") l ="%2%'. ... IJE
22'3
was used. 0ere% i - and 7 are indices for x&% y& and 1&directions respectively and /% D @ 8 are corresponding
maximum values. -his approach eliminates nested loop reuirement for 'D systems and reduces complexity of
the algorithm. Assumption was made that microwave source delivers power which has a spectrum defined by<
+( f )=4exp
(
f
o
f
2
2
)
22(3
Microwave source spectrum vary form instrument to instrument and hence theoretical distribution was
considered for uic, modeling. 0owever% author considers measured spectrum !;# to be the best source for
accurate modeling. -he theoretical spectrum defined by 22(3 is shown in .ig.2% where% f E 2.(* 701%

2
=9.9+x"0
"0
and 4 E 6.;66 5. -he distribution corresponds to 9005 of total power. -he initial spatial
distribution of available power for a given freuency was assumed uniform inside the cavity and the incident
flux was obtained using I =0.*c
o

o
2
.
.ig.2 -heoretical power distribution of microwave source.
Microwave power distribution inside an air field cavity with dimensions 29F2;F20 cm
'
for different
freuencies are shown in .ig. '. Gesults include hori1ontal 2.ig. ' "2a3 H (2a33 and vertical cross sections 2.ig. '
"2b3 H (2b33 of the excited cavity. -hese results are for +0 iterations with "* points per wavelength accuracy.
-he spatial distribution is not same for all freuencies suggesting not all freuencies are well supported by the
cavity. .ig.( provides pea, power 2+
!
3 spectrum of the excited cavity% showing for some freuencies power is
more concentrated in spatial distribution than others.
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(ull ,afer "; %odelling of !o,er distri)ution during %icro,a5e annealing of do!ed c-Si
.or microwave annealing purposes in a multi&mode microwave 2such as house hold microwave oven3%
modeling only sample which is to be heated with appropriate boundary conditions would not produce accurate
results of heating distribution inside a sample. Standing wave patterns inside a cavity is guided by the
dimensions and properties of the cavity and sample placed inside it !;#. 0ence% in this wor, full system
modeling was carried out. A system of dielectric slab placed at the bottom center of the cavity was considered
2.ig. "3. Dimensions of the oven cavity was ,ept as earlier% while dimensions of a slab was "*F"*F* cm
'
.
Gesults of modeling are shown in .ig. (% for two cases where complex relative dielectric constant 2
c en
r
3 of
cavity environment is less than complex relative dielectric constant of slab 2
c sla)
r
3 and
c en
r
greater than
c sla)
r
. Clearly% for heating purpose
c en
r
<
c sla)
r
must be maintained% other wise most microwave energy will be
concentrated outside the slab. Ander this condition sample get heated without heating the ambient. -his
condition has significant impact on the choice of environment with in the cavity for heating. Choice of
environment thus have to be both non&oxidising to the sample and satisfy the above condition for efficient
silicon processing. $n the other hand for
c en
r
>
c sla)
r
most of microwave energy will be outside the sample.
-his condition will heat the sample but with less efficiency.

" 2a3 " 2b3

2 2a3 2 2b3

' 2a3 ' 2b3

( 2a3 ( 2b3
.ig. ' Microwave power distribution in 2a3 hori1ontal and 2b3 vertical cross section of
an air filled cavity for 2"3 f E 2.( 701% 223 f E 2.(* 701 % 2'3 f E 2.(6 701 and 2(3 f E 2.* 701.
www.iosr=ournals.org 72 > :age
(ull ,afer "; %odelling of !o,er distri)ution during %icro,a5e annealing of do!ed c-Si

" 2a3 " 2b3

2 2a3 2 2b3
.ig. ( Absorbed microwave power distribution in 2a3 hori1ontal and 2b3 vertical cross section of
an air filled cavity with a dielectric slab at bottom center at f E 2.( 701 for 2"3
c en
r
<
c sla)
r

and 223
c en
r
>
c sla)
r
.
.ig. * :ea, power 2+
!
3 spectrum of an cavity of dimension 29F2;F20 cm
'
filled with air.
.rom .ig. *% two freuencies corresponding to highest pea, power 2f E 2.(*7013 and lowest pea, power 2 f E
2.( 7013 was chosen and it was found that absorbed power distribution pattern does not vary significantly with
freuency with in the sample 2.ig.+3. -his is due to very small difference in pea, power values% which is of the
order of 0." times the pea, power values. 0owever% the distribution pattern varies significantly with position of
the slab% with dimensions of cavity ,ept constant. .rom .ig. + and .ig. 6% it is evident patterns inside the sample
are significantly influenced by the standing wave patterns due to reflection from cavity walls. .urther%
dimensions of the sample plays crucial part in distribution pattern as well. Comparing .ig. + and .ig. 9% this fact
is directly observable. Sample dimensions for .ig. + result is "*F"*F* cm
'
while that of .ig. 9 is "*F"*F0.+
cm
'
. .ig.; shows variation of power distribution with input total power. -he distribution is not significantly
influenced by the input power. 0owever% amplitude of the pea, power is dependent on the total input power
and thus total input power will be significant for controlling temperature inside the sample.
-he complex dielectric function for c&Si is dependent on free&carrier absorption and is given by
Drude?s model !9% ""#<
=
r
+i
c
=
core
+
(i

[
n
e
e
2

e
%
e
("i
e
)
+
n
6
e
2

6
%
6
("i
6
)
]
22*3
.or n&type c&Si with% suffix ?e? stands for ma=ority carrier electron while suffix ?6? stands for minority carrier
hole. /n 22*3% n is free&carrier concentration% % is effective mass and is relaxation time constant. .ig. "0
shows dependence of imaginary part of dielectric function 2
c
3 on doping density 2I
D
3 at '008. -he doping
species for this case is phosphorous. At '008% power absorption distribution from full system modeling of air
filled cavity with a c&Si wafer 2"0.*F"0.*F0.0+ cm
'
and I
D
E "x"0
20
cm
'
3 on borosilicate glass slab 2"*F"*F0.+
www.iosr=ournals.org 73 > :age
(ull ,afer "; %odelling of !o,er distri)ution during %icro,a5e annealing of do!ed c-Si
cm
'
3 at bottom center is shown in .ig. "". -he simulation was carried out with "*x"*x"000 points per
wavelength. .ig. "2 shows results for similar conditions as .ig. "" but with wafer orientation changed from
hori1ontal flat position to vertical upright position. 5ith vertical up right position the power distribution inside
the wafer is significantly non uniform as compared to hori1ontal flat position.

" 2a3 " 2b3

2 2a3 2 2b3
.ig. + Absorbed microwave power distribution in 2a3 hori1ontal and 2b3 vertical cross section of
an air filled cavity with a dielectric slab at bottom center at 2"3 f E 2.(* 701 and 223 f E 2.( 701 .

" 2a3 " 2b3

2 2a3 2 2b3
.ig. 6 Absorbed microwave power distribution in 2a3 hori1ontal and 2b3 vertical cross section of
an air filled cavity with a dielectric slab at 2"3 bottom front and 223 bottom left. f E 2.(* 701.

2a3 2b3 2c3
.ig. 9 Absorbed microwave power distribution in 2a3 hori1ontal% 2b3 vertical cross sections of
an air filled cavity with a dielectric slab 2"*F"*F0.+ cm
'
3 at bottom center. 2c3 1oomed in vertical cross section
of slab. f E 2.(* 701.
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(ull ,afer "; %odelling of !o,er distri)ution during %icro,a5e annealing of do!ed c-Si

2a3 2b3 2c3
.ig. ; Absorbed microwave power distribution in an air filled cavity with a dielectric slab
2"*F"*F* cm
'
3 at bottom center. -otal input power 2a3 900 5% 2b3 "000 5 and 2c3 "0%000 5.
All the figures show 1oomed results. f E 2.(* 701.
.ig. "0 Dependence of imaginary part of dielectric function 2
c
3 on donor
density 2I
D
3 for c&Si at '008.

2a3 2b3
.ig. "" Absorbed microwave power distribution in an air filled cavity with a c&Si wafer on
borosilicate glass slab at bottom center. 2a3 0ori1ontal and 2b3 vertical 21oomed3 cross sections. f E 2.(* 701.

2a3 2b3
.ig. "2 Absorbed microwave power distribution in an air filled cavity with a c&Si wafer on
borosilicate glass slab at bottom center with wafer in vertical position. 2a3 0ori1ontal 21oomed3
and 2b3 vertical cross sections. f E 2.(* 701..
www.iosr=ournals.org 75 > :age
(ull ,afer "; %odelling of !o,er distri)ution during %icro,a5e annealing of do!ed c-Si
). !ON!(SION
/n conclusion% 'D modeling results for microwave power distribution in phosphorous doped c&Si wafer
has been presented for /SM freuency of 2.(* 701 at '008. A new 'D modeling techniue% e.DM% has been
introduced for such purpose which has no truncation error. Gesults from modeling show inefficient power
distribution with in the sample for rectangular cavity 2house hold microwave oven3. -his shows cavity shape
and dimension needs to be redesigned to ma,e the annealing process efficient and uniform for re&crystalli1ed
solar cell wor,.
&c*nowledgments
-his wor, was carried out as Gesearch Associate at C474SS% B4SA under the DS- :ro=ect entitled
?Solar :hotovoltaic 0ub at B4SA??. Author would li,e to than, institute% university and funding agency for their
full support and encouragement.
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www.iosr=ournals.org 76 > :age