power source 14 via respective electrical lines 15a 15b preferably the power source 14 is a conventional 13 56 megahertz mhz rf power source a substrate 17 preferably a silicon wafer in the present invention is disposed between the electrodes 12a 12b and gases 18 are passed over the substrate 18 as shown electromagnetic energy for instance by rf waves is imparted to the gases 18 to thereby inject energy into and excite the gases 18 generally the gases 18 tend to glow or arc as a result of the excitation and the excited gases 18 are referred to as a plasma the excitation by the electromagnetic energy causes a reaction s between the constituents of the gases 18 and consequently a coating is deposited on the substrate 17 pecvd is advantageous because deposition can occur at low temperatures the antireflection coating of the present invention is particularly applicable to solar cells fabricated from silicon but could be employed in virtually any application where an antireflection coating is needed for a silicon surface moreover the antireflection coating of the present invention can be applied to amorphous crystalline or polycrystalline silicon as well as n doped p doped or intrinsic silicon a typical solar cell includes a junction of n doped silicon.