Properties of Nano-crystalline n-type Silicon Films Produced by Hot Wire Plasma Assisted Technique

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn this work, we present the properties of n-type silicon films obtained by hot wire plasma assisted technique produced at different rf power and gas flow rate. The films were produced at a filament temperature of 2000°C and the rf power was varied from 0W to 200W while gas flow rate was varied from 15 to 100sccm keeping rf power at 50W. In this flow rate range, the growth rate of the films varied from 5Å/s to 250Å/s and the corresponding electrical room dark conductivity varied from 10−2 to 10(Ωcm)-1. On the other hand, we observed that the electrical conductivity increased from 2 to 6(Ωcm)-1, and the Hall mobility from 0.1 to 2cm2/V.s as rf power change from 0W to 200W. The infrared, EDS and XPS analyses revealed the existence of oxygen incorporation, which is not related to post-deposition oxidation. The X-ray diffraction and [.proportional]Raman data show the presence of Si crystals in the films structure and the SEM micrographs reveal a granular surface morphology with grain sizes lower than 60nm.