STUDY OF THE GROWTH-MECHANISM OF NANOCRYSTALLINE SI-H FILMS PREPARED BY REACTIVE HYDROGEN PLASMA SPUTTERING OF SILICON

The growth mechanism of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) films prepared by reactive hydrogen plasma sputtering of silicon has been studied by means of X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, and infr ared absorption (FT-IR) measurements and SEM observation; and by the d iagnosis of the plasma. The nc-Si:H films obtained consist of aggregat ions of nanocrystalline silicon surrounded by hydrogen atoms. We have found that growth rate and various properties of the nc-Si:H films suc h as grain size, hydrogen content and morphology are associated both w ith the incident flux densities of hydrogen ions and the SiHx (x=0-4) species.