Structural and some other properties of silicon deposited in an SiCl₄H₂ r.f. discharge

X-ray and Raman scattering data show that thin films of silicon deposited in an SiCl₄H₂ discharge at temperatures between about 200 and 430°C are polycrystalline. The correlation between the peak frequency of the Raman line and the crystallite size agrees well with that reported recently for polycrystalline silicon. After annealing under high vacuum, hydrogen evolution is observed above about 450°C, but optical absorption shows no changes even after annealing at approximately 700-800°C. A chlorine content of several per cent was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering. The hydrogen concentration was calculated from IR absorption and thermal desorption.