THE EFFECT OF SURFACE NUCLEATION ON THE EVOLUTION OF CRYSTALLINE MICROSTRUCTURE DURING SOLID-PHASE CRYSTALLIZATION OF AMORPHOUS SI FILMS ONSIO2

The effect of surface nucleation on the evolution of crystalline micro structure during the solid phase crystallization (SPC) of an amorphous Si (a-Si) film, deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition ( LPCVD) on SiO2, has been investigated. The surface nucleation phenomen on was observed by suppressing the interface (n-Si/SiO2) nucleation by the incorporation of oxygen atoms during the initial deposition perio d of a-Si. It was found that the surface-nucleated polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) had equiaxial grains with the size of about 3-5 mu m, while interface-nucleated one had elliptical grains with the size of about 0 .3-1 mu m. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.