Nanomorph silicon grown on template alumina substrate by plasma-enhanced CVD

Novel morphology of amorphous/nanocrystalline (nanomorph) silicon has been obtained by plasma enhanced CVD using template porous alumina substrate. The growing heterogeneous Si layer is composed of nanocrystalline and amorphous distinct areas, conformal to the tipped/ribbed alumina template. Raman spectroscopy and XRD data evidence the plasma-assisted preferential growth of nanocrystalline Si bunches forming the honeycomb net and presumably amorphous Si:H areas between them.