Properties of Si:H thin films deposited by rf-PECVD of silane–argon mixtures with variation of the plasma condition

Abstract Structural evolution of hydrogenated silicon (Si:H) films deposited from silane–argon mixtures varying the rf power density in the conventional plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) process were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption and Raman spectroscopy. It has been observed that the evolution is analogous to that seen with hydrogen dilution and the transition from amorphous (a-Si:H) to microcrystalline (μc-Si:H) phase is faciliated by high argon dilution. The results have been explained on the basis of bombardment of the growth surface by excited Ar atoms ( Ar ∗ ) from the plasma.