9615766 Mathur Description: The proposed research "Photoinduced Degradation in Doped Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon (a-SiH)" is a collaboration in materials research between Professor Craig Taylor, University of Utah and Professors P.C. Mathur and R.M. Mahra, University of Delhi. This proposal adds an international component to Professor Taylor's research on the properties of disordered semiconductors and thin-film photovaltaic materials. Taylor has made significant progress in understanding metal chalcogenide glasses as a model system linking tetrahedrally-coordinated amorphous materials and traditional chalcogenide glasses. As a logical extension, this proposal will concentrate on photo-induced degradation and transport properties of n-type doped silicon- sulfur alloys. Scope: This is a new collaboration linking two university research laboratories in the US and India. The research seeks to understand metastable defects in a-Si:H that are crucial for optimum performance of solar cells. The research combines US expertise on growth, optical and magnetic resonance characterization and Indian expertise on transport and structural measurements. The research plan is designed to make progress on ultimately improving the stability of devices such as thin-film transistors and solar cells. ***
