Electron spin resonance studies of microcrystalline and amorphous silicon irradiated with high energy electrons

Paramagnetic defects in μc-Si:H and a-Si:H with various structure compositions were investigated by electron spin resonance (ESR). The defect density was varied by high energy electron bombardment and subsequent annealing. The spin density increases by up to 3 orders of magnitude. In most cases the initial spin density can be restored upon annealing at 160 °C.