Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2011
Microcrystalline silicon with high crystallinity was fabricated on a glass substrate at a rather low temperature (320 C) by alternately repeating the deposition of Si thin layer 10 nm thick from fluorinated precursors and the treatment with atomic hydrogen. Hydrogen content was reduced to 0.5 at% or less. According to the in situ ellipsometric observation, the sticking of precursors followed the reactions for the construction of the ordered structure with the aid of atomic hydrogen. In addition, the defects were passivated efficiently with the treatment down to 4×1016 spins/cm3. A marked improvement was simultaneously verified in the efficiency of the substitutional P-doping in the films fabricated by this layer-by-layer technique.