Effect of plasma source power on the nanocrystallization of silicon thin films by reactive particle beam assisted chemical vapor deposition

The effect of radio frequency antenna power on the physical and chemical properties of nanocrystalline silicon deposited by reactive particle beam assisted chemical vapor deposition were systematically studied using various powers. Nanocrystalline Si embedded in an amorphous matrix was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Films that were deposited under high power formed large grains due to high accelerated particle energy and high density in plasma. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the chemical state of nanocrystalline silicon films was revealed to have Si-Si bonds. Further, an increase in antenna powers induced a roughened surface morphology, as well as changes in the dark conductivity and optical bandgap in Si films.