Fast deposition of hydrogenated chlorinated microcrystalline (mu c-) Si:H:Cl films was investigated using the high-density and low-temperature microwave plasma source utilizing a spoke antenna of a SiH2Cl2-H-2 mixture. The optical emission spectroscopy study revealed that the SiCl intensity and the H-a/SiCl intensity ratio are the possible monitors for the film deposition rate and the degree of the film crystallinity, respectively. The mu c-Si:H:Cl films fabricated from SiH2O2 Possessed less volume fraction of void and defect density rather than mu c-Si:H from SiH4 while maintaining a high deposition rate of 40 angstrom/s. These originate from the chemical reactivity of H and Cl terminated growing surface. The fine structure of mu c-Si:H:Cl film is discussed and compared with that of mu c-Si:H film from SiH4. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.