Control of crystallization at low thickness in μc-Si:H films using layer-by-layer growth scheme

Hydrogen plasma treatment of stacking layers in a layer-by-layer (LBL) growth scheme effectively modulates the network structure from the surface into the bulk through the growth zone by abstraction of hydrogen from the Si:H matrix. It is an efficient way of reducing the microcrystalline transition layer so that virtual saturation of the crystallization may be obtained at a significantly low thickness of the sample compared to that obtained by a continuous mode of deposition. The growth of a highly conducting undoped mu c Si:H film at a stacked layer thickness of similar to 650 Angstrom. is described. The film has a dark conductivity, s(D), of similar to 4 x 10(-3) S.cm(-1) and exhibits a very high crystallinity, as determined by Raman scattering and transmission electron microscope studies.