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Grain Size Control by Means of Solid Phase Crystallization of Amorphous Silicon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Jordi Farjas ,
Pere Roura  and
Pere Roca i Cabarrocas
Jordi Farjas
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of Girona, Department of Physics, Campus Montilivi, Edif. PII,, Girona, E-17071, Spain, 0034972219149, 0034972418098
Pere Roura
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of Girona, GRMT, Physics department, Campus Montilivi, Girona, E-17071, Spain
Pere Roca i Cabarrocas
Affiliation:
[email protected], Ecole Polytechnique, LPICM (UMR 7647 CNRS), Palaiseau Cedex, F-91128, France
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Abstract

The grain size of thermally crystallized a-Si films is controlled by the nucleation, rN, and growth, rG, rates according to the standard Avrami's theory. Despite this evidence, most papers devoted to improve the crystallized grain size analyze their results with a qualitative reference to this theory. In this paper, we will show that one can identify the standard set of rN and rG values for a-Si and that experiments show that deviations from this standard values always result in a smaller grain size. It is also shown that one cannot expect any substantial improvement with non-conventional heat treatments. Finally, it is argued that a larger grain size is expected from a-Si films containing, in their as-grown state, a controlled density of embedded nanocrystals.

Keywords

crystal growthamorphousSi
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 989: Symposium A – Amorphous and Polycrystalline Thin-Film Silicon Science and Technology-2007 , 2007 , 0989-A06-17
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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