Influence of dislocation density on recombination at grain boundaries in multicrystalline silicon

This paper reports a study of the causes of room-temperature recombination activity of grain boundaries in annealed multicrystalline silicon using the methods of electron-beam-induced current (EBIC) and transmission electron microscopy. It is found that the recombination activity is related to the density of dislocations in the boundary, with decoration by precipitates producing additional activity. Grain boundaries without dislocations and precipitates show only very low EBIC contrast.