Principles for Controlling the Electronic Quality of High-Rate Deposited a-Si:H Films

Abstract

By altering the plasma generation frequency, applying a magnetic field, changing the plasma regime from the low voltage α-regime where the dominant electron-energy gain mechanism is related to the sheath expansion, to the high voltage γ-regime where the discharge is maintained by secondary electrons emitted by the electrodes under ion bombardment, or generating a highly excited low-pressure plasma in a helicon-type source the influence of the particle and energy flux to the substrate on the a-Si:H film electronic properties was investigated. Deposition rate simulation was performed regarding a radical source located at the sheath/plasma boundary. Radical losses due to diffusion and reactive collisions with gas molecules were taken into account.