Mechanism of pulsed laserhyphen;induced amorphization of silicon films

摘要

Amorphization and crystallization were studied through homogeneous solidification of molten silicon layers on quartz substrates induced by irradiation with a 30 ns XeCl excimer laser. The crystalline nucleation rate was obtained to be 8times;1030mminus;3thinsp;sminus;1. Silicon films were completely amorphized for films thinner than 18 nm due to the fact that grain growth is reduced as film thickness decreases. It was also experimentally determined that recalescence caused by latent heat released at solidification can cause grain growth.