Clues to the nature of the spin centers in amorphous silicon

Abstract
We report on measurements of the electron spin resonance (ESR) signal from amorphous Si (a‐Si) with spin concentrations as low as 3×1016 cm−3. The a‐Si was prepared by the glow discharge decomposition of silane gas. From a study of the linewidth, lineshape, saturation and spin susceptibility and from their variation with temperature we present evidence that even for samples with ∠1016 spins cm−3, there are some spins that undergo an antiferromagnetic spin exchange interaction. The Curie‐Weiss ϑ in the relation χ =C/(T+ϑ) is found to be 1.3±0.4 K. We find that ϑ is independent of spin concentration in our samples and within experimental uncertainties agrees with the ϑ reported for evaporated and sputtered films with as many as 8×1019 spins cm−3. The constancy of ϑ in samples differing by more than three orders of magnitude in spin concentration implies the existence of spin clusters in a‐Si.