Effects of deposition pressure and plasma power on the growth and properties of boron-doped microcrystalline silicon films

Using diborane as doping gas, p-doped \mu c-Si:H layers are deposited by using the plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) technology. The effects of deposition pressure and plasma power on the growth and the properties of \mu c-Si:H layers are investigated. The results show that the deposition rate, the electrical and the structural properties are all strongly dependent on deposition pressure and plasma power. Boron-doped \mu c-Si:H films with a dark conductivity as high as 1.42 \Omega ^ - 1\cdotcm^ - 1 and a crystallinity of above 50% are obtained. With this p-layer, \mu c-Si:H solar cells are fabricated. In addition, the mechanism for the effects of deposition pressure and plasma power on the growth and the properties of boron-doped \mu c-Si:H layers is discussed.