Ar (3P2) induced chemical vapor deposition of hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Energy transfer from metastable argon [Ar (3P2)] to SiH4 was applied to prepare hydrogenated amorphous silicon films. The emission due to the transition of SiH (A2Δ–X2Π) was observed when SiH4 reacted with Ar (3P2). The electric and optical properties of the films were investigated as functions of substrate temperature. The conductivity of the film prepared at 100 °C is 10−10 Ω−1 cm−1 in the dark and 10−5 Ω−1 cm−1 under illumination with a photon flux of 1015 cm−2 s−1. Hydrogen is found to be incorporated into the films mainly in the monohydride configuration even at a substrate temperature as low as 40 °C.