Preferred growth of nanosized crystal silicon in doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon film

The preferred growth of nanosized crystal silicon (nc-Si) in doped hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) films which were prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system with RF(13.56 MHz) and DC bias stimulation was found. Its microstructure was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). nc-Si about 10 nm was distributed in the silicon-hydrogen amorphous networks in the films. The peaks of XRD spectra of phosphorus doped nc-Si: H films was at 2θ≈33° and the exponent of crystalline plane is (130). The peaks of XRD spectra of boron doped nc-Si:H films are at 2θ≈47°, the exponent of crystalline plane was (220) respectively. The considerable reasons were investigated. The relations among size of nc-Si, crystalline volume fraction and depositing parameters were studied.