Effect of Electrical Conductivity of Substrate on RF-Sputter-Deposition of µc-Si:H at -180°C

Abstract

The µc-Si:H was fabricated by the reactive RF-sputtering technique onto low temperature substrate (-180°C). It has been found that the electrical conductivity of the substrate plays a significant role in the fabrication of µc-Si:H, i.e., the –SiH₃ rich µc-Si:H is produced on the insulating substrate but the –SiH₂– rich one on the conductive substrate. The substantial effect of the electrical conductivity of the substrate is assumed to be that the screening potential by the accumulated electric charge on the insulating substrate reduced the kinetic energy of ions which impinge onto the substrate.