EFFECT OF THE STARTING AMORPHOUS STRUCTURE ON THE SOLID-PHASE CRYSTALLIZATION OF SILICON

The effect of the deposition rate of amorphous silicon films grown by low-pressure chemical vapour deposition on the quality of furnace-crys tallized films is studied. Numerous physical, optical and electrical c haracterization techniques have been used. The use of the X-ray diffra ction technique in the study of polycrystalline silicon microstrains i s particularly presented. Results show that, the higher the deposition rate, the higher is the quality of the polycrystalline silicon obtain ed. This quality is obtained near the limiting rate above which powder formation begins. This quality may be explained by the microstructure of the as-deposited amorphous films and in particular by the role of the low hydrogen content which delays the nucleation and increases the subsequent crystallization rate.