Very thin insulating layer formed by low-energy Ar-beam bombardment in the surface region of undoped hydrogenated amorphous silicon

A very thin insulating layer (VTIL) is formed by low-energy Ar-beam bombardment in the surface region of undoped hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H). Several experimental techniques have been utilized to determine the optimal argon beam bombardment conditions to prepare electrically reliable VTIL and to investigate its physical properties (thickness, structure, nature, and density of defects). VTILs prepared under such conditions make the leakage current of a-Si:H based semiconductor structures negligible and allow bias voltages of several volts (up to 5 V).