Studies of a-Si:H growth mechanism by Rutherford recoil measurement of H and D in films prepared from SiH4-D2 and SiD4-H2

a-Si:H films were prepared by rf glow discharge in SiH4-D2 or SiD4-H2 mixtures and analyzed for H and D by Rutherford forward recoil measurement in order to study its growth mechanism. In a low power rf discharge, more H atoms than D atoms were incorporated in the a-Si:H film even in the SiH4(1 vol)-D2(4 vol) mixture. With increase in the rf power, the H to D ratio in the film approaches the ratio in the gas for rf power ranges relatively high in our experiment, but is usual in practical production of a-Si:H. The two ratios were found to be almost equal, independent of the gas composition.