Modeling and experiments of microcrystalline silicon film deposited via VHF-PECVD

•The whole deposition process of μc-Si:H films is simulated.•A 1-D plasma model coupled with a well-mixed reactor model is used in simulation.•Series experiments are implemented for the comparisons with the simulation.•The model and the experiments show a good agreement. A 1-D plasma model coupled with a well-mixed reactor model was used to simulate the growth properties of hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon film deposited by very high frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition from SiH4 and H2 gas mixtures. Plasma parameters of the former, such as electron density and electron temperature, were determined and used as input values for the latter, in which concentrations of gas phase species, crystalline orientation, hydrogen content, surface fraction of dangling bonds, and deposition rate were calculated. Simultaneously, a series of in situ optical emission spectroscopy measurements and film depositions were carried out to investigate the correlation between the model and the experiments. Desired agreements between both were achieved.