Inductively coupled RF plasma of H-2-diluted GeH4 gas was applied to the growth of hydrogenated microcrystalline germanium (mu c-Ge:H) films on quartz in a reactor with an external single-turn antenna placed on quartz plate window parallel to the substrate. The deposition rate, the crystallinity and the thickness of an amorphous incubation layer formed in the early stages of the film growth were evaluated as functions of GeH4 concentration, gas flow rate, substrate temperature and the distance between the antenna and the grounded substrate susceptor. We demonstrated the growth of highly crystalized Ge films at a rate as high as 0.9 nm/s at 250 degrees C using a 8.3% GeH4 diluted with H-2. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.