Microcrystalline hydrogenated silicon films (muc-Si:H) have been deposited by a high current DC plasma in argon-silane-hydrogen mixtures at growth rates up to 10 nm/s and at substrate temperatures below 500 degreesC. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and FTIR analyses show that these films are highly crystallized. The surface morphology depends strongly on the experimental conditions and varies from a cauliflower structure to a prismatic one. The crystalline orientation of the films also changes with the experimental conditions whereas other properties such as crystallite size, columnar growth, and crystallinity of the films remain unchanged.