Preparation of boron-silicon thin film by pulsed laser deposition and its properties

Boron-silicon amorphous films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition technique, Band gap was estimated from the optical absorption spectrum for the films, and it increased with increasing silicon concentration. The values and concentration dependence of the band gap are nearly the same as those measured for amorphous B-Si prepared by electron beam evaporation. Electrical (dc) conductivity of the films was two or three orders of magnitude larger than that of amorphous boron, and its temperature dependence reveals variable-range-hopping-type behavior (Mott's low). Concentration dependence of the de conductivity is similar to that of metal-doped beta -rhombohedral boron, (C) 2000 Academic Press.