Advanced excimer-laser annealing process for quasi single-crystal silicon thin-film devices

Abstract

An advanced excimer-laser annealing method, named phase-modulated excimer-laser annealing method, has been reviewed for large-grain growth in Si thin-films. The laser-light intensity is modulated two-dimensionally on the Si film surface that triggers a lateral motion of the melt–solid interface, resulting in the lateral grain growth. The intensity distribution can be designed well by a phase-shift concept. Large grains were grown at pre-designed positions at 500°C, and are expected to possibly be aligned with less than 30 μm in pitch. The method seems attractive for high-performance and quasi single-crystal thin-film devices, which include thin-film transistors, silicon-on-insulator-based ULSIs, solar-cells and porous Si photonic devices.