Impurity-free seeded crystallization of amorphous silicon by nanoindentation

Abstract

We demonstrate that nanoindents formed in amorphous Si films, with dimensions as small as $20 nm, provide a means to seed solid phase crystallization. During post-indentation annealing at $600 C, solid phase crystallization initiates from the indented sites, effectively removing the incubation time for random nucleation in the absence of seeds. The seeded crystallization is studied by optical microscopy, cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, and electrical characterization via Hall measurements. Full crystallization can be achieved, with improved electrical characteristics attributed to the improved microstructure, using a lower thermal budget. The process is metal contaminant free and allows for selective area crystallization. V