Structure, composition and electro-optical properties of n-type amorphous and microcrystalline silicon thin films

This paper deals with the structure, composition and electro-optical characteristics of n-type amorphous and microcrystalline silicon thin films produced by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition in a hydrogenhelium mixture. In addition, special emphasis is given to the role that hydrogen incorporation plays in the film's properties and in the characteristics of n-type microcrystalline films presenting simultaneously optical gaps of about 2·3 eV (controlled by the hydrogen content in the film), a dark conductivity of 6-5S cm^-1 and a Hall mobility of about 0·86 cm² V^-1 s^-1, the highest combined values for n-type microcrystalline silicon films, as far as we know.