Abstract
An investigation of silicon plasma deposition and etching using both a VHF plasma in dilute SiH4/H2 and the pulsed silane flow method is presented. It is possible to find preparation conditions at which simultaneous growth of μc-Si:H and etching of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) on the same substrate is observed. The results clearly demonstrate that microcrystalline silicon growth proceeds via the preferential etching of amorphous tissue during film growth, and that observations of crystallization during hydrogen plasma treatment without etching are due to chemical transport of silicon within the reactor.
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Heintze, M., Zedlitz, R. & Westlake, W. Microcrystalline Silicon Thin film Growth and Simultaneous Etching of Amorphous Material. MRS Online Proceedings Library 358, 733 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-358-733
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-358-733