HIGH DEPOSITION RATE OF AMORPHOUS-SILICON THICK LAYERS USING A GAS-MIXTURE OF 10-PERCENT SILANE IN HYDROGEN

The deposition rare of amorphous silicon of the order of 0.9 mu m/h, h as been obtained using a gas mixture of 10% silane (SiH4) in hydrogen (H-2). with a RF source of 13.56 MHz. Best films were deposited at a c oral flow rate of 100-200 seem, 300 degrees C substrate temperature, 6 6.7 Pa, and RF power density of 150 mW/cm(2). The geometrical configur ation of the reaction chamber included a gas injector that was special ly designed for this purpose. Films were characterized by Fourier tran sform infrared (FTIR), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), and pro filometer. In addition, thick p-i-n diodes were prepared and character ized, obtaining reverse current densities lower than 5 x 10(-6) A/cm(2 ) at full depletion. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserve d.