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Excimer Lasbr Induced Crystallization of thin Amorphous Si Films on SiO2: Implications of Crystallized Microstructures for Phase Transformation Mechanisms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2011

H. J. Kim ,
James S. Im  and
Michael O. Thompson
H. J. Kim
Affiliation:
Columbia University, HKSM, Metallurgy & Materials Science, New York, NY
James S. Im
Affiliation:
Columbia University, HKSM, Metallurgy & Materials Science, New York, NY
Michael O. Thompson
Affiliation:
Cornell University, Dept. of Materials Science & Engineering, Ithaca, NY
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Abstract

Using planar view transmission electron microscope (TEM) and transient reflectance (TR) analyses, we have investigated the excimer laser crystallization of amorphous silicon (a-Si) films on SiO2. Emphasis was placed on characterizing the microstructures of the single-shot irradiated materials, as a function of the energy density of the laser pulse and the temperature of the substrate. The dependence of the grain size and melt duration as a function of energy density revealed two major crystallization regimes. In the low energy density regime, the average grain size first increases gradually with increases in the laser energy density. In the high energy density regime, on the other hand, a very fine grained microstructure, which is relatively insensitive to variations in the laser energy density, is obtained. In addition, we have discovered that at the transition between these two regimes an extremely small experimental window exists, within which an exceedingly large grain-sized polycrystalline film is obtained. We suggest a liquid phase growth model for this phenomenon, which is based on the regrowth of crystals from the residual solid islands at the oxide interface.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 283: Symposium F – Microcrystalline Semiconductors–Materials Science and Devices , 1992 , 703
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1993

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References

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