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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 February 2011
Metal-induced low temperature (≤ 550 °C) crystallization of a-Si1-xGex (0 ≤ × ≤ 1 ) layers on SiO2 films has been investigated. For low Ge fractions below 20 %, Ge-doping enhanced plane growth was observed. This realized strain-free poly-Si0.8Ge0.2 films with large grains (18 μm). On the other hand, dendrite growth was dominant for intermediate Ge fractions with 40–60 %. Directions and widths of dendrites became straight and narrow with decreasing annealing temperature. As a result, very sharp needlelike crystals (width: 0.05 μm, length: 10 μm) were obtained at the optimized growth conditions (x: 0.4, annealing: 450 °C, 20 h). These new polycrystalline SiGe films on insulators should be used for the advanced system-in-displays and novel one-dimensional wires.