Growth and Crystallization Mechanism of Microcrystalline Silicon Films Produced by Reactive RF Sputtering

Abstract

Hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon is a mixed-phase material consisting of submicron size silicon crystallites embedded into an amorphous matrix¹. This new phase material has received increased attention because of its potential application in thin film devices^2,3. Such material was first prepared by Veprek and his coworkers^4–6 by hydrogen-plasma assisted silicon transport. In this method, the silicon charge, kept at relatively low temperatures, reacts with atomic hydrogen and forms volatile hydrides, which are transported and decomposed on a substrate, kept at higher temperatures. More recently hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon has been prepared by high power glow discharge decomposition of silane, diluted in hydrogen^7,8 Material produced by these two methods has been investigated by a number of groups and models regarding the kinetics of growth have been proposed^5,8. Limited progress has also been made in the deposition of such material by the method of sputtering^3,9,10,11. However, the mechanism of thin film growth and crystallization has only been briefly addressed¹¹.