Device quality a-Si:H deposited from electron cyclotron resonance at very high deposition rates

Abstract Hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) samples were produced by Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) plasma at very high deposition rates (up to 38 A/s). The transport and defect-related properties were inferred on 0.1–4.3 μm thick samples in coplanar and sandwich geometries using a set of complementary techniques. The best samples deposited around 25 A/s exhibit electronic properties comparable to those of solar device quality a-Si:H deposited by RF PECVD at deposition rates around 1 A/s.