Photoluminescence and Raman studies in thin-film materials: Transition from amorphous to microcrystalline silicon

We measured photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectra for films deposited by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition using various hydrogen to silane ratios. We observed: (a) a PL peak energy increase from 1.25 to 1.4 eV as the material approaches the a- to $\mathrm{\mu c-}\mathrm{Si}$ transition region; (b) a dual-PL peak at 1.3 and 1.0 eV for the film with a H dilution ratio of 3; and (c) as the H ratio increases, the 1.3 eV PL fades away and the low energy PL dominates. Meanwhile, a redshift of the peak position, a decrease of the intensity, and a narrower bandwidth for the low energy PL are also observed. The low energy PL is explained by band-tail radiative transitions from two types of grain boundaries.