Abstract
The structure of silicon films deposited by low pressure, chemical vapor deposition in the 600°C temperature range has been investigated by x‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. There is a critical temperature near 600°C, above which the deposited films are polycrystalline and below which amorphous films are obtained. This temperature is close to that used to deposit films for integrated circuit applications. When the films are polycrystalline, the <110> texture dominates. The polycrystalline films are reasonably stable upon annealing to temperatures up to approximately 1100°C. The initially amorphous films, however, easily crystallize. Crystallization has been observed to be well advanced after annealing at 800°C. Large stresses are built into the amorphous films, while the stresses in the polycrystalline films are lower.