Comparison of Defect Annealing Kinetics of a-Si:H Prepared by Pure Silane and Helium Diluted Silane by Triode Plasma Chemical Vapour Deposition

Abstract

We have compared the defect annealing kinetics of hydrogenated amorphous silicon films (a-Si:H) prepared by triode deposition using pure silane and silane diluted with helium. Analysing the defect annealing kinetics with a defect pool having a gaussian distribution of annealing energies, the peak of the defect annealing energy distributions for the films deposited with helium diluted silane are shifted to higher energy, which reflect films of poorer stability. Furthermore, for a given deposition process, the distribution of the annealing energies is sensitive to the deposition parameters. Once the pool parameters have been determined, the long term light-soaking behaviour of the films for any intensity can be predicted.