Structure of the ESR spectra of thin film silicon after electron bombardment

Defect creation by MeV electron bombardment of a-Si:H and μc-Si:H thin films is used to explore hidden features of the electron spin resonance spectra. Different dynamics of creation and annealing for different paramagnetic states is expected and found. In a-Si:H the g-value of the db resonance does not change after irradiation, but a pair of satellites is observed on its wings. In the spectra of μc-Si:H three additional lines can be extracted after irradiation, overlapping with the central resonance. Careful analysis of the spectra shows also modification of the dangling bond resonance in μc-Si:H that is compatible with variations of two components of the spectra and supports the model of two dominant defect states in μc-Si:H.