EFFECT OF ANNEALING IN AN ATOMIC-HYDROGEN ATMOSPHERE ON THE PROPERTIES OF AMORPHOUS HYDRATED SILICON FILMS AND THE PARAMETERS OF P-I-N STRUCTURES BASED ON THEM

The decrease in the density of dangling silicon-silicon bonds in a-Si: H films as a result of annealing in an atomic-hydrogen atmosphere is d etermined by their density in the initial (nonannealed) film. The chan ge in the total hydrogen density in a-Si:H films, annealed in an atomi c-hydrogen atmosphere, is determined by the type of silicon-hydrogen b onds and the impurity content: The hydrogen content can decrease to 1 at. % in the presence of monohydride bonds (2020 cm(-1)) and no change is observed in the hydrogen content in the presence of oxygen (less t han or similar to 0.1 at. %). A decrease in the defect density as a re sult of annealing in an atomic-hydrogen atmosphere is observed for all films. The Staebler-Wronski effect AM-1 irradiation for 10 h - is obs erved for all films irrespective of the total hydrogen density, the ty pe of silicon-hydrogen bonds, and the presence of oxygen. (C) 1998 Ame rican Institute of Physics. [S1063-7826(98)02205-4].