Hydrogen Reactions in c-Si:B During Illumination at Room Temperature

Herein, effects related to reactions involving hydrogen during carrier injection at room temperature in boron-doped Czochralski-grown silicon wafers are investigated. It is shown that these conditions lead to boron-oxygen defect regeneration. Under these conditions, bulk material quality degradation induced by a dark annealing can be temporarily recovered in the same way as light and elevated temperature-induced degradation. Dissociation of boron-hydrogen pairs by carrier injection at room temperature is observed in parallel. These observations are discussed within the framework of known hydrogen reactions. With this study, significant aspects of hydrogen-related meta-stabilities at temperatures that are most relevant for solar modules in moderate climates are covered.