Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Crystalline silicon films have been deposited on silicon and metal-coated coming 7095 glass substrates at temperatures of 280 ˜ 680°C by electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD) using an ultrahigh vacuum chamber and SiH4 as the feedstock. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) have been used to characterize the films. At temperatures of ˜280 °C, the as-grown films are microcrystalline with crystalline fractions between 50–97%. From XRD patterns, randomly oriented crystalline silicon grains were clearly present in the films with the grain sizes estimated to be between 170 – 370Å. As the growth temperature is increased to 470°C, epitaxial growth on silicon is observed at growth rates of 240Å/min without bias or hydrogen plasma treatment before film growth. N-type doping of the layers has been achieved using PH3 as the doping gas and solar cells with ECR grown emitters fabricated on 15μm thick p-type epilayers on p+ substrates.