Silicon–carbon films deposited at low substrate temperature

Films composed of Si crystallites embedded in an amorphous silicon–carbon matrix have been deposited at low temperature by PECVD onto Corning glass and SnO2:F coated glass substrates. An increase of RF power from 15 to 100 W reduces the silicon crystalline fraction and enhances the carbon content in the amorphous material, causing the crystalline to amorphous phase transition. SnO2 coated glass substrate enhances the nucleation of silicon grains and the optical absorbance in the wavelength range of ≈300–1000 nm decreases with increasing the RF power.