Abstract
Two hundred-nm-thick nanocrystalline silicon films were deposited at 620 °C under different H
2 flow rates, ([H
2]), by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using SiH
4/H
2 mixtures. When [H
2] increased, the grain size decreased. On the other hand, no crystallization was found at [H
2]=5 sccm. The photoluminescence spectra changed from a single peak of approximately 2.0–2.1 eV at [H
2]=10 sccm to two separated lines of approximately 1.7 and 2.1 eV at [H
2] between 15 and 20 sccm. However, the 2.1-eV band decreased with increasing [H
2], and at [H
2]=25 sccm, we observed a single peak at approximately 1.8 eV. The hydrogen content decreased and two infrared absorption bands approximately at 850 and 1000 cm
−1 also decreased with [H
2].