N. Wilson et al., The role of size effects on the crystallization of amorphous Ge in contactwith Bi nanocrystals, J APPL PHYS, 84(9), 1998, pp. 5283-5290
The kinetics of metal-induced crystallization of amorphous Ge in contact wi
th Bi nanocrystals (NCs) have been studied by in situ transmission electron
microscope annealing. Series of nanostructured films consisting of layers
of Bi NCs in an amorphous Ge matrix have been grown by pulsed laser deposit
ion. The a-Ge crystallization temperature depends strongly on both the size
and shape of the NCs and the separation between the NCs in the film-normal
direction. The size of the NCs controls the crystal nucleation process thr
ough the amount of metal surface in contact with the semiconductor, the sha
pe of the NCs determines the initial Ge crystallization in the direction pe
rpendicular to the film plane, and the separation between the NCs in the fi
lm-normal direction controls the overall pattern of the Ge crystal growth p
rocess. () 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(98)04021-3].