Special features of photoelectric properties of nanostructured films of hydrogenated silicon

Nanostructured Si films differing in hydrogen content, in the forms of Si-H bonds, and in certain characteristics of Si inclusions in an amorphous matrix (volume fraction, size, and structure) were studied. The behavior common to all the studied films, i.e., an increase in the defect density and nonmonotonic enhancement of photoconductivity at the “red wing” of the spectral characteristic compared to a-Si:H, was assessed. At the same time, there are films with either enhanced or reduced photoconductivity compared to a-Si:H.