Significant improvement in the microcrystallization in Si:H network has been demonstrated by introducing layer-by-layer (LBL) growth and H-plasma treatment on the stacking layers. During the development of microcrystalline network, the amorphous incubation layer as well as the microcrystalline transition layer thickness has been reduced efficiently by the enhanced reactivity of atomic H from the surface into the bulk through the growth zone, so that the virtual saturation in crystallization is obtained at a significantly low thickness. The growth process becomes more flexible because of the inclusion of additional independent parameter, namely, the time span of H-plasma exposure (tp) on the growing surface, compared to the conventional process. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.