Analysis of hydrogen and paramagnetic defects in a-Si:H aerosol particles resulting from thermal decomposition of silane

Hydrogen and paramagnetic centers contained in a-Si:H aerosol particles, formed during thermal decomposition of silane are studied. The methods of IR spectroscopy, effusion of hydrogen, and ESR spectroscopy are used. For low temperatures of aerosol formation (T less than or equal to 833 K) paramagnetic centers with g approximate to 2.0051 are recorded in aerosol particles. For high temperatures (T > 800 K) paramagnetic centers with g approximate to 2.0055 are recorded. The obtained experimental results testify that the existence of paramagnetic centers with g approximate to 2.0051 is related to the presence of polysilane chains. The existence of paramagnetic centers with g approximate to 2.0055 is related to the presence of monohydride groups with the frequency of stretching vibrations near 2100 cm(-1) located on the surface of interconnected microvoids and microchannels. The quantitative relations between the fractions of hydrogen present in various structural groups and IR absorptions in the corresponding regions of the IR spectra are obtained.