Tin-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon under pulsed laser irradiation

Abstract

Tin-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon in thin-film Si-Sn-Si structures under the influence of laser irradiation of various types has been studied, by using Raman scattering. The size and concentration dependences of Si nanocrystals on the power of 10-ns and 150-µs laser pulses with a wavelength of 535 or 1070 nm are experimentally measured and analyzed. A possibility of effective tin-induced transformation of silicon in a-Si layers 200 nm in thickness from the amorphous to crystalline phase within 10 ns time interval under the action of laser light pulses is demonstrated. The theoretical calculation of the spatial temperature distribution and its time evolution in the area of the laser beam action is used to interpret the experimental results.