Growth of microcrystalline silicon by remote plasma chemical vapor deposition without hydrogen dilution

Abstract

We have grown microcrystalline silicon by a remote plasma chemical vapor deposition technique using silane and helium only, without hydrogen dilution. The optimum growth temperature and rf power are 330 °C and 100 W, respectively. These results indicate that an atomic hydrogen environment on the growing surface is not always necessary to grow microcrystalline (μc-)Si at low temperatures. It is found that the exposure of He plasma on the growing surface of μc-Si etches the Si layer, explaining the growth of μc-Si by using only silane and He and no hydrogen.