Abstract
Thin films of nanostructured silicon (ns-Si:H) were deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition in the presence of silicon nanoparticles at 100 °C substrate temperature using a silane and hydrogen gas mixture under continuous wave (cw) plasma conditions. The nanostructure of the films has been demonstrated by diverse ways: transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction, which have shown the presence of ordered silicon clusters (1–2 nm) embedded in an amorphous silicon matrix. Because of the presence of these ordered domains, the films crystallize faster than standard hydrogenated amorphous silicon samples, as evidenced by electrical measurements during the thermal annealing.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
K. G. Spears, T. J. Robinson, and R.M. Roth, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. PS-14, 179 (1986).
G. S. Selwyn, J. Singh, and R. S. Benett, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 7, 2758 (1989).
G. M. Jellum and D. B. Graves, J. Appl. Phys. 67, 6490 (1990).
Y. Watanabe, M. Shiratani, Y. Kubo, I. Ogawa, and S. Ogi, Appl. Phys. Lett. 53, 1263 (1988).
E. Bertran, J. Costa, G. Sardin, J. Campmany, J. L. Andújar, and A. Canillas, Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 3, 348 (1994).
J. Costa, P. Roura, G. Sardin, J. R. Morante, and E. Bertran, Appl. Phys. Lett. 64, 463 (1994).
P. Roca i Cabarrocas, P. Gay, and A. Hadjadj, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 14, 655 (1996).
Molecularly Developed Ultrafine/Nanostructured Materials, edited by K. E. Gonsalves, G-M. Chow, T. D. Xiao, and R. C. Cammarata (Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 351, Pittsburgh, PA, 1994).
R. C. Ross and J. Jaklik, J. Appl. Phys. 55, 3785 (1984).
P. Roca i Cabarrocas, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 164–166, 37 (1993).
A. Lloret, E. Bertran, J. L. Andújar, A. Canillas, and J. L. Morenza, J. Appl. Phys. 69, 632 (1991).
A. A. Howling, J-L. Dorier, and Ch. Hollenstein, Appl. Phys. Lett. 62, 1341 (1993).
C. W. Lee, C. Lee, and Y. T. Kim, Appl. Phys. A 56, 123 (1993).
S. Veprek, Z. Iqbal, and F. A. Sarott, Philos. Mag. B 45, 137 (1982).
Y. He, C. Yin, G. Cheng, L. Wang, X. Liu, and G. Y. Hu, J. Appl. Phys. 75, 797 (1994).
A. Guinier, in X-ray Diffraction (Freeman, San Francisco, CA, 1963), p. 124.
S. N. Sharma, A. K. Bandyopadhyay, R. Banerjee, A. K. Batabyal, and A. K. Barua, Phys. Rev. B. 43, 4503 (1991).
L. Boufendi, A. Plain, J. Ph. Blondeau, A. Bouchoule, C. Laure, and M. Toogood, Appl. Phys. Lett. 60, 169 (1992).
W.D. Leudtke and U. Landman, Phys. Rev. B 37, 4656 (1988).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bertran, E., Sharma, S.N., Viera, G. et al. Effect of the Nanoparticles on the Structure and Crystallization of Amorphous Silicon Thin Films Produced by rf Glow Discharge. Journal of Materials Research 13, 2476–2479 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1998.0347
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1998.0347