Particles of 2–14 nm diameter, representing 10−4–10−3of the film volume, are observed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in thin films of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a‐Si:H) grown by rf‐plasma‐enhanced deposition using optimized conditions. The particles are produced in the discharge and incorporated in the film during growth, in contradiction to expected particle trapping by discharge sheath fields. The interfaces between the nanoparticles and the homogeneous film can produce low‐density regions that form electronic defects ina‐Si:H films. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.