EFFECT OF THE NANOPARTICLES ON THE STRUCTURE AND CRYSTALLIZATION OF AMORPHOUS-SILICON THIN-FILMS PRODUCED BY RF GLOW-DISCHARGE

Thin films of nanostructured silicon (ns-Si:H) were deposited by plasm a-enhanced chemical vapor deposition in the presence of silicon nanopa rticles at 100 degrees C substrate temperature using a silane and hydr ogen gas mixture under continuous wave (cw) plasma conditions. The nan ostructure of the films has been demonstrated by diverse ways: transmi ssion electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction, which have shown the presence of ordered silicon clusters (1-2 nm) emb edded in an amorphous silicon matrix. Because of the presence of these ordered domains, the films crystallize faster than standard hydrogena ted amorphous silicon samples, as evidenced by electrical measurements during the thermal annealing.