The XPS of a-SixC1-x:H films prepared by the plasma CVD method from a mixture of silane and methane gases were measured. The separation of the XPS spectra into several peaks revealed the nature of the chemical bonds of silicon and carbon atoms. The coordination of the carbon atom was diamond-like and fourfold in silicon-rich films, while the graphitic threefold coordination was dominant in carbon-rich films. The effect of dilution gas was also investigated by using argon and hydrogen as dilution gases. Films prepared from hydrogen-diluted gas contained more carbon atoms with fourfold coordination than those prepared from argon-diluted gas.
The mechanism of hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (µc-Si:H) film deposition by magnetron sputtering employing a Si target and H2/Ar gas mixture has been investigated by measuring Si and H atom densities in the gas phase by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. The crystalline volume fraction of the film correlated positively with H atom density. The variation in Si atom density indicated the increase in sputtering yield from the Si target in the H2/Ar discharge. The surface of the Si target immersed in the H2/Ar discharge was hydrogenated. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect the production of SiHx molecules (typically SiH4) from the hydrogenated Si target via reactive ion etching. Since SiHx molecules produced from the target may function as a deposition precursor, the mechanism of µc-Si:H film deposition is considered to be similar to that of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) employing a SiH4/H2 gas mixture. The advantage of magnetron sputtering deposition over PECVD is the production of SiHx molecules without using toxic, explosive SiH4.
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