Influence of Inert Gas Pressure on Growing Rate of Nanocrystalline Silicon Film Prepared by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Nanocrystalline silicon film (nc-Si) was prepared by pulsed laser deposition in different inert gas atmospheres such as He, Ne and Ar. The influence of inert gas pressure on growing rate of the film was investigated. The results show that with increasing gas pressure, growing rate first increases and reaches its maximum and then decreases; the gas pressure at the maximum of growing rate is proportional to the reciprocal of atomic mass of gas. The rate maximum is 0.315 Å/pulse when He gas pressure is 8.3 Pa. The dynamic process is analysed theoretically by means of resputtering from the film surface and scattering of ablated particles. Furthermore, our results are compared with those in the case of Ag target.