AFM Study of the Effect of Growth Method and Conditions on the Microstructure of A-Si:H

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

    Abstract

    We utilized atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate the microstructure at the surface of thick (>4000 ..ANG..) hydrogenated amorphous silicon films. The films were prepared by standard glow discharge (GD) as well as hot wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) techniques. We studied a series of films with substrate temperatures ranging between 200 degrees C and 400 degrees C. We also studiedthe effects of various gas mixtures at fixed growth temperature on the observed microstructure. We found that the average feature grain size in the microstructure varied between 40 nm and 90 nm as the substrate temperature was changed and also as the different gas mixtures were employed during growth. The grain size decreased with increasing substrate temperatures for the films grown from 100percent silane independent of whether the growth method were GD or HWCVD. Gas dilution with argon or hydrogen also resulted in a size reduction, as did PH3 doping at dilute levels. These results ruled out the possibilities that the observed features arise from particle production in the reactor chamber itself. The relation of the observed microstructure to the electronic properties of a-Si:H isdiscussed.
    Original languageAmerican English
    Pages567-566
    Number of pages2
    StatePublished - 1997
    EventAmorphous and Microcrystalline Silicon Technology 1997: Materials Research Society Symposium - San Francisco, California
    Duration: 31 Mar 19974 Apr 1997

    Conference

    ConferenceAmorphous and Microcrystalline Silicon Technology 1997: Materials Research Society Symposium
    CitySan Francisco, California
    Period31/03/974/04/97

    Bibliographical note

    Work performed by University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon and Instituto de Microelectronica de Madrid, Tres Cantos, Spain

    NREL Publication Number

    • NREL/CP-520-24555

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