Fast deposition of amorphous and microcrystalline silicon films from SiH2Cl2-SiH4-H-2 by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Fast deposition of hydrogenated chlorinated amorphous and microcrystalline silicon (a-Si:H(Cl), mu c-Si:H(Cl)) thin films is achieved without powder formation and deterioration of their optoelectronic properties by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (rf PECVD) from SiH2Cl2-SiH4-H-2. The Si-network can be varied from microcrystalline to amorphous at high deposition rate of about 20 Angstrom/s with addition of SiH4 under steady flow of SiH2Cl2-H-2 plasma. The deposition rate strongly depends on the mixture ratio of SiH2Cl2 and SiH4 and the substrate temperature.