An important concern in the deposition of Si: H films is to obtain smooth surfaces. Herein, we deposit the thin Si: H films using Ar-diluted SiH4 as feedstock gas in an inductively coupled plasma reactor. And we carry a real-time monitor on the deposition process by using optical emission spectrum technology in the vicinity of substrate and diagnose the Ar plasma radial distribution by Langmuir probe. Surface detecting by AFM and surface profilometry in large scale shows that the thin Si: H films have small surface roughness. Distributions of both the ion density and the electron temperature are homogeneous at h = 0.5 cm. Based on these experimental results, it can be proposed inductively coupled plasma reactor is fit to deposit the thin film in large scale. Also, Ar can affect the reaction process and improve the thin Si:H films characteristics. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.