Hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (mu c-Si:H) films were prepared by direct current-radio frequency (DC-RF) coupled magnetron sputtering using an argon/hydrogen gas mixture. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman scattering spectra were measured and used to investigate the influence of the film structure on target DC bias voltage (V-b) during deposition. The deposition rate increased with decreasing V-b from 0 V to -500 V and with increasing RF power. The (111) XRD peak intensity and (111) mean crystallite size increased with decreasing Vb. In contrast, the (220) peak intensity and (220) mean crystallite size showed a maximum at V(b)similar to-300 V. The crystalline volume fraction also showed a maximum at V(b)similar to-300 V. These findings suggest that the kinetic energy of a sputtered silicon atom is very important in influencing the crystallinity of mu c-Si:H films, and that control of target DC bias is very effective in preparing mu c-Si:H films with a high degree of crystallinity. (c) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.