Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
Internal stress change of phosphorus-doped silicon thin films during crystallization is measured by detecting substrate curvature change using a scanning laser microscope. The films are deposited in an amorphous phase by chemical vapor deposition using Si2H6 gas. The deposited films have compressive stress of about 200 MPa. The internal stress changes significantly to a tensile stress of about 800 MPa at about 600 °C due to shrinkage of the films during crystallization. The high tensile stress can be relaxed by annealing above 800 °C. The phosphorus doping changes the crystallization process of the films and their final residual stress.