Raman spectra and scanning electron microscope (SEM) techniques were used to determine the structural properties of microcrystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) films deposited on different substrates with the very high frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (VHF-PECVD) technique. Using the Raman spectra, the values of crystalline volume fraction Xc and average grain size d are 86%, 12.3nm; 65%, 5.45nm; and 38%, 4.05nm, for single crystalline silicon wafer, corning 7059 glass, and general optical glass substrates, respectively. The SEM images further demonstrate the substrate effect on the film surface roughness. For the single crystalline silicon wafer and Corning 7059 glass, the surfaces of the μc-Si:H films are fairly smooth because of the homogenous growth or little lattice mismatch. But for general optical glass, the surface of the μc-Si:H film is very rough, thus the growing surface roughness affects the crystallization process and determines the average grain size of the deposited material. Moreover, with the measurements of thickness, photo and dark conductivity, photosensitivity and activation energy, the substrate effect on the deposition rate, optical and electrical properties of the μc-Si:H thin films have also been investigated. On the basis of the above results, it can be concluded that the substrates affect the initial growing layers acting as a seed for the formation of a crystalline-like material, and then the deposition rates, optical and electrical properties are also strongly influenced, hence, deposition parameter optimization is the key method that can be used to obtain a good initial growing layer, to realize the deposition of μc-Si:H films with device-grade quality on cheap substrates such as general glass.
