Hydrogen motion in thermally annealed sputter-deposited hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Journal Article · Sat Aug 15 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.339675· OSTI ID:6422487

Bevolo, A J; Albers, M L; Shanks, H R; Shinar, J

It is shown that the bulk hydrogen concentration in radio-frequency (rf) sputtered films of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) can be determined from reflected electron energy-loss spectroscopy signals obtained even during ion beam etching of the film. As a result, depth profiling, with a 50-A depth resolution of the hydrogen concentration, and with 1 at. % accuracy of the a-Si:H/sub x//a-Si:H/sub y/ multilayer, is achieved. Using this technique to depth profile annealed multilayer samples of rf sputter-deposited a-Si:H, it was found that despite the loss of hydrogen at elevated temperatures the original interface widths are unchanged even after a 500 /sup 0/C, 1 h anneal. This result contrasts sharply with previous measurements of hydrogen motion in glow-discharge a-Si:H and indicates a significant difference between the two types of a-Si:H with respect to hydrogen motion at elevated temperatures.

• Research Organization: Ames Laboratory, United States Department of Energy and Department of Physics, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-82
• OSTI ID: 6422487
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 62:4; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360603* -- Materials-- Properties
ANNEALING
ATOM TRANSPORT
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DATA
DIFFUSION
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELEMENTS
ETCHING
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FILMS
GLOW DISCHARGES
HEAT TREATMENTS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROGEN
IMPURITIES
INFORMATION
LAYERS
NEUTRAL-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RESOLUTION
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SURFACE FINISHING
THIN FILMS