Hydrogenated crystalline silicon fabricated at low-substrate temperatures by reactive sputtering in He-H2 atmosphere

Crystallized films of silicon containing about 5 at.% of bonded hydrogen have been fabricated by reactive sputtering in He and H₂ atmosphere at low substrate temperatures below 250°C. The structure was investigated by X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, infrared and visible absorption measurements. The infrared spectra show two or three sharp absorption peaks at the stretching vibrational region of Si-H. The processes of both sputtering and crystallization are strongly affected by the presence of H₂.