Correlation Between Surface Morphology and Lattice Orientation of Microcrystalline Silicon

The surface morphology and preferential orientation of μc-Si:H has been studied on c-Si substrate in relation to the Si-H bonding mode. Epitaxy-like growth is observed on Si (001) substrate at a moderate temperature and under low ion bombardment, while the surface is significantly roughened. With increasing or decreasing the temperature or increasing the ion bombardment, the lattice orientation is randomized and an amorphous component is increased, resulting in the reduction of the surface roughness. The growth mode is intimately related to the Si-H bonding configuration. The epitaxy-like growth is collapsed accompanying the disappearance of the surface Si-H 2,3 mode. The resemblance of these phenomena to the low temperature MBE is discussed.