Microcrystalline silicon has been fabricated using a conventional RF-PECVD method with a dichlorosilane/hydrogen mixture. Better crystallinity, lower hydrogen content and different preferential orientation have been obtained in comparison to those from a silane-hydrogen mixture. It was also found that a small addition of silane to dichlorosilane markedly deteriorates the crystallinity, These differences are discussed in terms of the surface reaction during the growth. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.