Utilization of amorphous silicon carbide (a-Si:C:H) as a resistive layer in gas microstrip detectors

Thin semiconducting films of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and its carbon alloy (a-Si:C:H) were applied to gas microstrip detectors in order to control gain instabilities due to charges on the substrate. Thin (approx. 100 nm) layers of a-Si:H or p-doped a-Si:C:H were placed either over or under the electrodes using the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) technique to provide the substrate with a suitable surface conductivity. By changing the carbon content and boron doping density, the sheet resistance of the a-Si:C:H coating could be successfully controlled in the range of 10¹² approx. 10¹⁷ Ω/□, and the light sensitivity, which causes the resistivity to vary with ambient light conditions, was minimized. An avalanche gain of 5000 and energy resolution of 20% FWHM were achieved and the gain remained constant over a week of operation. A-Si:C:H film is an attractive alternative to ion-implanted or semiconducting glass due to the wide range of resistivities possible and the feasibility of making deposits over a large area at low cost.