| abstract |
Amorphous hydrogenated silicon-carbon alloys having particular usefulness in the preparation of photovoltaic devices, such as solar cells, with improved properties, such as high open circuit voltage with high fill factor and improved blue response, and stability, are provided by the process of depositing the alloy on a substrate maintained at a relatively low temperature below about 260° C. in a vapor deposition chamber, and introducing a gaseous mixture comprising at least one compound having the formula (SiX 3 ) 3 CX 1 wherein each X and X 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and halogen, and a high proportion of hydrogen, in a ratio by volume of from about 50 parts to about 2000 parts hydrogen to 1 part of (SiX 3 ) 3 CX 1 compound, under deposition conditions of low excitation power density of less than about 50 mw/cm 2 , and high pressure of more than about 0.1 torr. |