Transition from amorphous insulator to amorphous semiconductor in hydrogenated carbon–germanium films – investigations in submicrometer scale

Abstract

Hydrogenated carbon–germanium films prepared by plasma deposition can exist in two different electronic structures: amorphous semiconductor (a-S) and amorphous insulator (a-I). A transition from a-I to a-S is observed as a result of monotonic change in preparation conditions. Atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed a step transition from a-I to a-S in submicrometer scale with a good agreement to earlier investigated macroscopic optical and electrical properties.