Luminescence and magnetic resonance in post-hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon

Abstract We report photoluminescence, EPR and ODMR studies of plasma hydrogenated LPCVD microcrystalline silicon thin films. Apart from the dangling bond EPR resonance which is similar to that observed in a -Si : H, and possibly the emission at 1.3 eV, we find emission bands and resonance signals quite unlike those observed in normal c -Si and a -Si : H. We conclude that μ c -Si : H cannot be regarded purely as crystallites of pure silicon embedded in a matrix of a -Si : H.