We have developed a novel technique for large-area high rate growth of microcrystalline silicon films by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, designing a novel cathode with interconnected multi-holes, which leads to produce uniformly flat-distributed stable high-density plasma spots near cathode surface. The spatial distribution of plasma at holes on cathode surface was analyzed using optical emission spectroscopy for SiH4/H-2 plasma with various pressures with a view to optimizing deposition conditions. Improvement of properties of high-rate-grown films was discussed with regard to silane depletion as well as the temperature of film-growing surface. Microcrystalline silicon films with a low defect density of 5 x 10(15) cm-3 obtained at a high rate approaching 8 nm/s demonstrate the effectiveness of the novel cathode. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.