GROWTH MECHANISMS IN LASER CRYSTALLIZATION AND LASER INTERFERENCE CRYSTALLIZATION

The processes involved in the pulsed laser crystallization of amorphou s silicon thin films were studied using transient reflection measureme nts. A model of the melting and solidification induced by the laser ex posure, based on a one-dimensional calculation of the heat flow, was u sed to simulate the time-dependent reflectivity, yielding agreement wi th the experiments. Two laser beams interfering on the sample surface lead to the growth of long grains (up to 1.5 mu m), with a well-define d orientation. We conclude that this lateral growth results from explo sive crystallization combined with Liquid phase growth. (C) 1998 Elsev ier Science B.V. All rights reserved.