Comparison between a-Si:H prepared by magnetron sputtering and e-beam plasma assisted vacuum evaporation

In the present work a-Si:H thin film grown by e-beam vacuum evaporation with auxiliary plasma assistance and magnetron sputtering are compared. The films were deposited over glass and Silicon wafer substrates. In both cases an argon-hydrogen atmosphere were used, at substrate temperature of 150 °C. The films were characterized by Raman, FTIR and UV-vis spectroscopy. The results show the deposition of a-Si:H from both techniques, low temperature plasma assisted vacuum evaporation and magnetron sputtering were possible. The defect density was reduced in both cases although in the plasma assisted e-beam proved to be less efficient than in magnetron sputtering. The results also show different behavior of hydrogen incorporation likely because of the tendencies of crystallization using high hydrogen pressure in plasma assisted e-beam vacuum evaporation based process.