AVS 47th International Symposium
    Thin Films Tuesday Sessions
       Session TF-TuP

Paper TF-TuP4
Deposition of Device Quality Amorphous Silicon, a-Si:H, Thin Films by the Hollow Cathode Plasma-Jet Reactive Sputtering System

Tuesday, October 3, 2000, 5:30 pm, Room Exhibit Hall C & D

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: R.J. Soukup, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Authors: Z. Hubicka, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
R.J. Soukup, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
G.K. Pribil, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
N.J. Ianno, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Correspondent: Click to Email
Device quality hydrogenated amorphous silicon, a-Si:H, thin films have been deposited by means of a dc hollow cathode plasma jet with magnetic field confinement. Single crystal silicon nozzles have been reactively sputtered in the high density hollow cathode discharge. Only nontoxic gases argon and hydrogen have been used for this purpose. Different configurations of the dc hollow cathode have been used for the deposition process. Device quality a-Si:H thin films have been achieved with light to dark conductivity ratios >10@super 6@ and with the light conductivity near 10@super -5@ S and dark conductivity between 10@super -11@ and 10@super -12@ S. This was accomplished with a specific configuration of the hollow cathode discharge in the silicon nozzle. Our best films have a Tauc-band gap near 1.8 eV and an atomic hydrogen concentration of about 14%. The growth rate achieved for device quality a-Si:H films was in the range of 2 to 3 µm/h.