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The Relation Between Microstructure and Electronic Properties of Magnetron Sputtered a-Si1−x,Cx:H

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 1993

S.Y. Yang
Affiliation:
Coordinated Science Laboratory and the Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
N. Maley
Affiliation:
Solarex Corp., Thin Film Division, Newtown, PA 16802
J.R. Abelson
Affiliation:
Coordinated Science Laboratory and the Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801
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Abstract

We have grown a-Si1-x,Cx:H films by reactive magnetron sputtering, varying the H2 partial pressure from 0 to 6 mTorr and maintaining the substrate temperature at 275°C and argon and methane partial pressures at 1.70 and 0.10 mTorr, respectively.

We investigate the correlation between electronic properties and the fraction of H bonded in "microstructure," defined by the ratio of SiHx stretching mode absorptions in IR and the low temperature H2release in thermal evolution. Our results on sputtered films disprove the monotonic decrease in carrier transport with increasing microstructure fraction which is commonly observed for a-Si1-xCx:H grown by glow discharge of SiH4 and CH4. We find that the electronic properties and microstructure depend on film composition and growth technique, and that the electronic properties are not uniquely determined by the microstructure of hydrogen bonding.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1993

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References

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