A study on the surface reaction in the growth of amorphous silicon by intermittent deposition method

The surface reaction in the glow discharge plasma growth of a-Si:H for solar cells was studied by the intermittent deposition method in which two kinds of gases are exchanged at short intervals; one is used for growing silicon film: the other for modifying the growing surface. It was found that the fluorine elimination process has an activation energy of 7 meV and that fluorine in the region of 8 A below the growing surface is removed by hydrogen radicals at 250 degrees C. The Si:H prepared by this method has a high photoconductivity of 4*10/sup -4/ ( Omega -cm)/sup -1/ under AM1 100-mW/cm/sup 2/ light and a high photosensitivity of 10/sup 6/. This film shows smaller photodegradation than conventional a-Si:H.<
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