High Quality Interfaces in a-Si:H/a-Sic:H Superlattices

Amorphous multilayers with low interface defect density were deposited in an ultrahigh-vacuum RF-glow discharge reactor by computer-controlled fast gas switching. An extensive film characterization was done including determination of carbon content by PES (proton enhanced scattering), grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, measurement of ambipolar diffusion length, FTIR spectroscopy and hydrogen effusion. From PDS (photothermal deflection spectroscopy) a defect density of below 1011 cm−2 per interface is found.