Room-Temperature Deposition of Silicon Thin Films by RF Magnetron Sputtering

Abstract

Silicon thin film was successfully deposited on glass substrate using Radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The effect of deposition pressure on the physical and structural properties of thin films on the glass substrate was studied. The film thickness and deposition rate decreased with decreasing deposition pressure. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) shows as the deposition pressure increased, the surface morphology transform from concise structured to not closely pack on the surface. Raman spectroscopy result showed that the peak was around 508 cm-1, showing that the thin film is nanocrystalline instead of polycrystalline silicon.