Deposition of electronic quality amorphous silicon, a-Si : H, thin films by a hollow cathode plasma-jet reactive sputtering system

High quality hydrogenated amorphous silicon, a-Si:H, thin films were deposi ted by means of a dc hollow cathode plasma-jet with magnetic field confinem ent. Single-crystal silicon nozzles were reactively sputtered in a high den sity hollow cathode discharge. Only nontoxic gases, argon and hydrogen, wer e used for this purpose. Different configurations of the dc hollow cathode were used for the deposition process. Electronic quality a-Si:H thin films were achieved with light to dark conductivity ratios > 10(6), with light co nductivity near 10(-5) S/cm and dark conductivity between 10(-11) and 10(-1 2) S/cm. This was accomplished with a specific configuration of the hollow cathode discharge in the silicon nozzle. Our best films have a Tauc band ga p near 1.8 eV and an atomic hydrogen concentration of about 14%. The growth rate achieved for the electronic quality a-Si:H films was in the range of 2-3 mum/h. (C) 2001 American Vacuum Society.