Investigation of microcrystalline silicon by the small-angle X-ray-scattering technique

By means of the small-angle X-ray-scattering technique, a set of two types of microcrystalline silicon samples produced for use in solar-cell panels is investigated. It is shown that, in the two individual samples belonging to different types, the heights of silicon grains amount to about 230 and 23 nm instead of the technologically planned 200 and 20 nm, respectively. It is shown that the surface layer is formed in the shape of a locally ordered matrix of amorphous-silicon grains about 3 nm in size in the sample in which the glass substrate is ground to carry out investigations in the transmission mode.