Issue Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. Volume 47, Number 3, September 2009 Article Number 31001 Number of page(s) 5 Section Plasma, Discharges and Processes DOI 10.1051/epjap/2009109 Published online 12 June 2009

Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 47, 31001 (2009)
DOI: 10.1051/epjap/2009109

Substrate-plasma interaction during amorphous silicon thin films growth by sputtering technique

F. Khelfaoui and M.S. Aida

Laboratoire de Couches Minces et Interfaces, Faculté des Sciences Exactes, Université de Constantine, 2500 Constantine, Algeria

aida_salah@yahoo.fr

Received: 12 March 2009 / Received in final form: 6 April 2009 / Accepted: 17 April 2009 / Published online: 12 June 2009

Abstract
The present paper deals with the investigation of Argon ions – substrate interactions during film growth and their influence on sputtered hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin films structural properties. These interactions are characterized by mean of the calculation of the energy distribution of Ar ions striking the substrate and their striking force measurement in the case of Rf diode sputtering. The influence of the Ar ions bombardment on structural and physical properties of amorphous silicon thin properties is discussed. The ion bombardment affects the film growth processes and consequently, it causes films densification and evolution of film microstructure from amorphous state at low power towards a microcrystalline material with increasing the Rf power.

PACS
52.40.-W - Plasma interactions (nonlaser).
52.40.Hf - Plasma-material interactions; boundary layer effects.
52.77.Dq - Plasma-based ion implantation and deposition.

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