Structure of Annealed Polycrystalline Silicon Films. I. Recrystallization

Abstract

Structural changes due to annealing of silicon films obtained by chemical vapor deposition in a low‐pressure reactor on thermally oxidized silicon wafers are investigated using high‐voltage (HVEM) and high‐resolution electron microscopy (HREM). The annealing treatment is carried out “in‐situ” in the vacuum of the column of the electron microscope, in an oxidizing ambient, and on air. In some cases pulse annealing is applied using flash lamp irradiation or recrystallization by a movable focussed light stripe (μ‐zone melting recrystallization).