Development of microcrystalline silicon thin films with high deposition rate (over 10 nm/s) using VHF hollow electrode enhanced glow plasma

Microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si) thin films with high deposition rate have been fabricated by VHF hollow electrode enhanced glow plasma transportation (VHF–HEEPT). Plasma observation is performed in the discharge chamber and the deposition chamber, and plasma emission spectroscopy is performed in the deposition chamber. The results of the plasma emission spectroscopy indicate that VHF–HEEPT yields a plasma with lower electron temperature compared to RF–HEEPT and conventional capacitively-coupled VHF plasmas. The structural and electrical properties of μc-Si thin films are estimated as a function of the SiH4/H2 ratio. The thin films made by VHF–HEEPT are microcrystalline and have a high deposition rate (12.5 nm/s), while thin films made by RF–HEEPT become amorphous for deposition rates over 10 nm/s.