SILVER INDUCED FORMATION OF SI(111)-ROOT-3X-ROOT-3 STRUCTURE FROM HYDROGENATED AMORPHOUS-SILICON FILM

Many metallic films, such as, Al, Au, Pd, Pt deposited on hydrogenated amorphous silicon lead to the formation of crystalline silicon phase at a temperature much lower than its normal crystallization temperature > 600-degrees-C. The present investigation on silver/hydrogenated amorphous silicon interface gives the evidence for the formation of a square-root 3 x square-root 3-Ag structure through transmission electron diffraction. The formation of this structure is thought to be due to the nucleation and growth of silicon crystallites at some preferential sites in the triple system of silicon, silver and hydrogen.