Preparation and Characterization of Hydrogenated Amorphous Germanium and Hydrogenated Amorphous Germanium Carbide Thin Films

摘要

Hydrogenated amorphous germanium (a-Ge:H) and germanium carbide (a-Ge/sub 1-x/C/sub x/:H) films were prepared by rf sputtering of a polycrystalline Ge target in a vacuum /approximately/ 4 /times/ 10/sup /minus/7/ Torr at various rf power 50 less than or equal to P less than or equal to 600 W (0. 27-3.3 W/sq cm), target-substrate distance 1 less than or equal to d less than or equal to 7'', varying partial pressures of Ar, H sub 2 , and C sub 3 H sub 8 , and flow rates f. The vibrational and opto-electronic properties such as infrared (IR) absorption, optical gap, electron-spin-resonance (ESR) signals, and conductivities vary with deposition conditions. The photoconductivity sigma/sub ph/, in particular, was carefully monitored as a function of the deposition conditions to optimize it. 96 refs., 49 figs., 7 tabs. (ERA citation 14:017809)