The induced defects and their distribution in a-Si:H/a-SiNx:H multilay
ers are determined using an electromagnetic technique (EMT) and positr
on annihilation technique (PAT). It is found that the distributions of
the induced defects in the interface regions on both sides of the a-S
i:H sublayer are asymmetric and related to the growth direction of the
film; a large number of induced defects are found only in the interfa
ce region away from the substrate. (C) 1998 Academic Press Limited.