Amorphous and polycrystalline silicon films deposited by electron cyclotron resonance reactive plasma deposition

Abstract

We describe the preparation and properties of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) films deposited by electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) reactive plasma deposition. Hydrogen radicals are generated in a physically remote ECR plasma source and are allowed to interact with silane near the growth surface. By controlling the flux of reactive hydrogen species, polycrystalline and amorphous silicon films were systematically grown. Poly-Si films having large Hall mobilities of 35 cm2/V s were deposited at temperatures as low as 450 °C without subsequent annealing. High-quality a-Si:H films were deposited at temperatures as high as 450 °C. Plasma properties near the growth surface were characterized using both optical emission spectroscopy and Langmuir probe techniques.