Dependence of crystal orientation in Al-induced crystallized poly-Si layers on SiO 2 insertion layer thickness

Abstract

We have fabricated poly-Si thin films on fused silica substrates by the Al-induced crystallization (AIC) method with SiO 2 insertion layers of various thicknesses (020 nm). The growth morphologies of poly-Si layers were dramatically changed by the SiO 2 thickness, i.e., thin layers (2 nm) provided high growth rates and (100) orientations, and thick layers (10 nm) provided low growth rates and (111) orientations. These results showed that the crystal orientation of AIC-Si significantly depends on the diffusion rate of Si atoms into the Al layer. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.