EXCIMER-LASER CRYSTALLIZATION AND DOPING OF SILICON FILMS ON PLASTIC SUBSTRATES

We report the pulsed laser recrystallization and doping of thin film a morphous silicon deposited on oxide-coated polyester substrates, Altho ugh our heat-flow simulation of the laser recrystallization process in dicates that the plastic is briefly subjected to temperatures above it s softening point, we see no evidence of damage to the plastic or film delamination from the substrate, Film grain size is found to vary up to similar to 0.1 mu m. Electrical characteristics obtained from simpl e strip line resistors and thin film transistors indicate that device- quality silicon films have been produced on an inexpensive flexible pl astic substrate. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.