Fabrication and characterization of the size-controlled and patterned nc-Si dots

A new method of phase-modulated excimer laser crystallization is adopted to fabricate the patterned nanometer-sized crystalline silicon (nc-Si) dots w ithin the sandwiched structure (a-SiNx:H/a-Si:H/a-SiNx:H) films. The result s of transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction and Raman scatt ering show the ultra-thin and single-layer nc-Si films were patterned in th e lateral direction and the size of crystallites is controlled by the thick ness of as-deposited a-Si film in the longitudinal direction. The effects o f the laser energy density on the structures of the samples and the crystal lization mechanism are discussed.