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Amorphous and microcrystalline silicon by ECR-CVD using highly dilute silane mixtures

Book ·
OSTI ID:304348
;  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. State Univ. of New York at Buffalo, Amherst, NY (United States). Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering
  2. Evergreen Solar, Waltham, MA (United States)
  3. NREL, Golden, CO (United States)

Silicon film growth (amorphous and microcrystalline) by double dilution of silane was studied in a microwave CVD system. The double dilution was achieved by using 2% SiH{sub 4} mixtures (balance of Ar or He) further diluted in H{sub 2}. Low hydrogen content films deposited at low temperatures are demonstrated by the technique. The a-Si deposited using 2% SiH{sub 4}/He shows {approximately}8% H{sub 2} content and a compact nature. These films exhibit {sigma}{sub D} of 10{sup {minus}8} S/cm and a {sigma}{sub D}/{sigma}{sub PH} {approximately} 10{sup {minus}4}. {micro}c-Si films deposited on glass at temperatures of 300--450 C, show high crystalline fraction and low dark conductivity ({approximately}10{sup {minus}6} S/cm). With SiH{sub 4}/Ar, crystallinity could be initiated without H{sub 2} addition. Increased grain sizes and decreased H{sub 2} content were seen for increasing H{sub 2} dilution.

OSTI ID:
304348
Report Number(s):
CONF-970953--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English