Characterizations of nanostructured silicon-carbon films deposited on p-layer by PECVD

Nanostructured silicon carbon films composed of silicon nanocrystallites embedded in the amorphous silicon carbon matrix are prepared by a rf-PECVD system at 250 °C from silane and methane gas mixture highly diluted in hydrogen onto 7059 Corning glass and p-layer deposited on tin oxide substrates by varying rf power from 25 to 65 W. The structural and compositional properties of the films have been investigated. The study demonstrates that rf power controls the crystalline fraction as well as the silicon crystallite size and that p-layer/tin oxide structure enhances the nucleation of silicon grains as compared to Corning glass