Auger electron spectroscopy of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon

Thin layers of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon were studied by means of the Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). It was found that the spectra of the a-Si : H samples exhibit a large peak at 34 eV which was ascribed to the L₁L₂₃V Coster-Kronig transition and that the intensity of the L₂₃VV transition was lowered, due to hydrogenation. The explanation of this feature is given on the basis of the electronic structure and the transition probabilities changes in silicon, due to hydrogenation. The results on the a-Si : H layer were compared with measurement of the a-Si layer and the influence of an electron and an ion bombardment, an elevated temperature and an exposure to oxygen on both layers was studied.The author would like to expres hiss thanks to Dr. J. Zemek for supplying the a-Si and a-Si : H layers, to Dr. J. Drahokoupil and Dr. J. imnek for stimulating discussions and to Dr. V. Cháb for helpful discussions and for his help with measurements.