Controlled Grain Size and Location in GE Thin Films on Silicon Dioxide by Low Temperature Selective Solid Phase Crystallization

1995 ◽  
Vol 403 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. Yang ◽  
Harry A. Atwater
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Silicon Dioxide ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Crystal Nucleation ◽  
Solid Phase Crystallization ◽  
Grain Sizes ◽  
Amorphous Silicon Dioxide ◽  
Nucleation Sites ◽  
Phase Crystal ◽  
Metal Islands

AbstractSelective solid phase crystallization for control of grain size and location in polycrystalline thin Ge films on amorphous silicon dioxide substrates is described. The approach consists of selective solid phase crystal nucleation via an alloy reaction at predefined nucleation sites, which consist of metal islands deposited on top of the amorphous Ge film, followed by lateral solid phase epitaxial growth. Grain sizes as large as 30 μm have been achieved in 50 nm thick Ge films at temperatures less than 475 °C.

Polycrystalline Si Films Fabricated by Low Temperature Selective Nucleation and Solid Phase Epitaxy Process

1997 ◽  
Vol 485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudine M. Chen ◽  
Harry A. Atwater
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Grain Size ◽  
Crystal Growth ◽  
Incubation Time ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Solid Phase Epitaxy ◽  
Grain Sizes ◽  
Random Nucleation ◽  
Nucleation Sites ◽  
Si Films

AbstractWith a selective nucleation and solid phase epitaxy (SNSPE) process, grain sizes of 10 μm have been achieved to date at 620°C in 100 nrm thick silicon films on amorphous SiO2, with potential for greater grain sizes. Selective nucleation occurs via a thin film reaction between a patterned array of 20 rnm thick indium islands which act as heterogeneous nucleation sites on the amorphous silicon starting material. Crystal growth proceeds by lateral solid phase epitaxy from the nucleation sites, during the incubation time for random nucleation. The largest achievable grain size by SNSPE is thus approximately the product of the incubation time and the solid phase epitaxy rate. Electronic dopants, such as B, P, and Al, are found to enhance the solid phase epitaxy rate and affect the nucleation rate.

Grain size, Grain Uniformity, and (111) Texture Enhancement by Solid-phase Crystallization of F- and C-implanted SiGe Films

2000 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 1630-1634 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rodríguez ◽  
J. Olivares ◽  
C. González ◽  
J. Sangrador ◽  
T. Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Vapor Deposition ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Chemical Vapor ◽  
Solid Phase Crystallization ◽  
Grain Sizes ◽  
Pressure Chemical ◽  
Film Microstructure ◽  
Si Films ◽  
Size Dispersion

The crystallization kinetics and film microstructure of poly-SiGe layers obtained by solid-phase crystallization of unimplanted and C- and F-implanted 100-nm-thick amorphous SiGe films deposited by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition on thermally oxidized Si wafers were studied. After crystallization, the F- and C-implanted SiGe films showed larger grain sizes, both in-plane and perpendicular to the surface of the sample, than the unimplanted SiGe films. Also, the (111) texture was strongly enhanced when compared to the unimplanted SiGe or Si films. The crystallized F-implanted SiGe samples showed the dendrite-shaped grains characteristic of solid-phase crystallized pure Si. The structure of the unimplanted SiGe and C-implanted SiGe samples consisted of a mixture of grains with well-defined contour and a small number of quasi-dendritic grains. These samples also showed a very low grain-size dispersion.

Control of Enhanced Optical Absorption in μc-Si

1997 ◽  
Vol 467 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Kaan Kalkan ◽  
Stephen J. Fonash
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Optical Absorption ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Dominant Mode ◽  
Absorption Enhancement ◽  
Optical Transitions ◽  
Solid Phase Crystallization ◽  
Enhanced Absorption ◽  
Grain Sizes ◽  
Peak Broadening

ABSTRACTThe influence of grain size on the enhanced optical absorption of μc-Si has been investigated using films of various grain sizes prepared by solid phase crystallization. We show that we can control this grain size and therefore the degree of absorption changes. For grain sizes below a threshold range significant absorption enhancement can be seen in the photon energy range of 1 to ∼3 eV and the absorption characteristics of these films show that the dominant mode of optical transitions is indirect. A correlation between first order Raman peak broadening and enhanced absorption was found suggesting both effects are related to confinement. A simple model was developed to see how confinement in the crystallites could influence indirect optical transitions.

Solid-phase crystallization of ultra-thin amorphous Ge layers on insulators

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryo Oishi ◽  
Koji ASAKA ◽  
Bolotov Leonid ◽  
Noriyuki Uchida ◽  
Masashi Kurosawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Grain Boundary ◽  
Barrier Height ◽  
Carrier Mobility ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Hole Mobility ◽  
Solid Phase Crystallization ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
20 Nm ◽  
Grain Boundary Barrier

Abstract A simple method to form ultra-thin (< 20 nm) semiconductor layers with a higher mobility on a 3D-structured insulating surface is required for next-generation nanoelectronics. We have investigated the solid-phase crystallization of amorphous Ge layers with thicknesses of 10−80 nm on insulators of SiO2 and Si3N4. We found that decreasing the Ge thickness reduces the grain size and increases the grain boundary barrier height, causing the carrier mobility degradation. We examined two methods, known effective to enhance the grain size in the thicker Ge (>100 nm). As a result, a relatively high Hall hole mobility (59 cm2/Vs) has been achieved with a 20-nm-thick polycrystalline Ge layer on Si3N4, which is the highest value among the previously reported works.

Solid-Phase Crystallization of a-Si:H by RTA

2010 ◽  
Vol 44-47 ◽  
pp. 4151-4153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Min Jin ◽  
Ding Zhen Li ◽  
Lan Li Chen ◽  
Xiang Ju Han ◽  
Jing Xiao Lu
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Grain Size ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Glass Substrate ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Solid Phase Crystallization ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Average Grain Size ◽  
Electronic Microscope

Amorphous silicon films prepared by PECVD on glass substrate has been crystallized by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) at the same temperature for different time. From X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electronic microscope (SEM), it is found that the grain size is biggest crystallized at 720°C for 8 min, an average grain size of 28nm or so is obtained. The thin film is smoothly and perfect structure.

Kinetics of the C49 TO C54 Phase Transformation in TiSi2 thin Films on Deep-Sub-Micron Lines

1995 ◽  
Vol 402 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Kittl ◽  
D. A. Prinslow ◽  
P. P Apte ◽  
M. F. Pas
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Grain Size ◽  
Phase Transformation ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Grain Sizes ◽  
Nucleation Sites ◽  
Dimensional Growth ◽  
Kinetics Of

AbstractThe kinetics of the TiSi2 C49 to C54 phase transformation in thin films on patterned deepsub- micron lines, were studied to obtain the full time, temperature and linewidth dependence of the fraction transformed during rapid thermal annealing. A Johnson-Mehl-Avrami kinetic analysis was performed, obtaining Avrami exponents of 0.8±0.2 for all sub-micron lines and 1. 9±0.2 for a 40 μm side square structure, indicating heterogeneous nucleation followed by one dimensional growth for the narrow lines, and two dimensional growth for the square structure. The activation energy, of 3.9 eV, was independent of linewidth in the sub-micron range. Transformation times increased dramatically for decreasing linewidth, as the linewidth approached the grain size of the starting C49 phase. A kinetic model based on the density of nucleation sites as a function of linewidth and C49 grain size is proposed and shown to fit the data, for samples with two different C49 grain sizes.

scholarly journals Solid-phase crystallization under continuous heating: Kinetic and microstructure scaling laws

2008 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 418-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Farjas ◽  
P. Roura
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Kinetic Parameters ◽  
Scaling Laws ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Scaling Law ◽  
Continuous Heating ◽  
Dimensionless Time ◽  
Solid Phase Crystallization ◽  
Average Grain Size ◽  
Length Scaling

The kinetics and microstructure of solid-phase crystallization under continuous heating conditions and random distribution of nuclei are analyzed. An Arrhenius temperature dependence is assumed for both nucleation and growth rates. Under these circumstances, the system has a scaling law such that the behavior of the scaled system is independent of the heating rate. Hence, the kinetics and microstructure obtained at different heating rates differ only in time and length scaling factors. Concerning the kinetics, it is shown that the extended volume evolves with time according to αex = [exp(κCt′)]m+1, where t′ is the dimensionless time. This scaled solution not only represents a significant simplification of the system description, it also provides new tools for its analysis. For instance, it has been possible to find an analytical dependence of the final average grain size on kinetic parameters. Concerning the microstructure, the existence of a length scaling factor has allowed the grain-size distribution to be numerically calculated as a function of the kinetic parameters.

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