Profiling of hydrogen in a-Si:H by the H(19F,αγ)16O∗ reaction

The resonant reaction $\text{H}\text{(}{}^{19}\text{F}\text{,αγ)}{}^{16}\text{O}{}^{\mathrm{\ast }}$ was used to study the hydrogen content and distribution with depth in a-Si : H films. The films were prepared in a DC magnetron by glow discharge decomposition of silane at a pressure of 1 Pa. The results showed that a surface hydrogen peak was present for a film prepared at 310°C but disappeared when the films were prepared at 370°C. The total hydrogen content was one half of that calculated using infrared absorption spectroscopy. RBS was used to determine the film density and scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate microstructure.