Chemical Vapor Deposition of a-SiGe:H Films Utilizing a Microwave-Excited Plasma

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Abstract
Hydrogenated amorphous silicon-germanium films were prepared by a chemical vapor deposition method utilizing a microwave-excited plasma produced at low gas pressures (∼10-3 Torr). Deposition methods in which SiH4 and GeH4 were decomposed by a plasma stream of Ar or hydrogen or by direct excitation were examined at 200°C and at the pressures optimized for the preparation of hydrogenerated amorphous silicon films. Highly photoconductive narrow gap films (an optical gap of 1.5 eV) with photoconductivity higher than 10-5 S/cm and photosensitivity of about 104 were obtained by these methods, keeping a high deposition rate.