HYDROGENATED AMORPHOUS-SILICON FILMS BY 60 HZ GLOW-DISCHARGE DEPOSITION

We deposit hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) in a low-frequency (60 Hz) glow-discharge deposition system. The films show electronic an d optical properties nearly equivalent to those of films produced by t he conventional radio-frequency (13.56-MHz) glow-discharge technique. The optimal substrate temperature for the low-frequency glow-discharge technique is 150-170-degrees-C, about 100-degrees-C lower than at rad io frequency. We report measurements of film properties including dark conductivity, photoconductivity, ambipolar diffusion length, infrared absorption, optical band gap, and deep defect density.