In situ study of p-type amorphous silicon growth from B2H6:SiH4 mixtures: Surface reactivity and interface effects.

In situ ellipsometry provides monolayer sensitivity to the reaction of B2H6:SiH4 doping gas mixtures with p- and i-type plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) surfaces at 180 and 250 °C. This low-temperature reaction, leading to the slow growth (1–3 Å/min) of a-Si:H:B by CVD (without plasma excitation), requires a clean a-Si:H surface and both B2H6 and SiH4 in the doping gas. We suggest that the high B content of CVD a-Si:H:B at p-i and i-p interfaces and on the film-coated regions of single-chamber reactors, may contribute to poor interface characteristics and residual contamination in devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]