Controlled aluminum-induced crystallization of an amorphous silicon thin film by using an oxide-layer diffusion barrier

Abstract

Aluminum-induced crystallization (AIC) of amorphous silicon with an Al2O3 diffusion barrier was investigated for controlling Si crystallization and preventing layer exchange during the annealing process. An Al2O3 layer was deposited between the a-Si and the Al films (a-Si/Al2O3/Al/Glass) and was blasted with an air spray gun with alumina beads to form diffusion channels between the Si and the Al layers. During the annealing process, small grain SixAl seeds were formed at the channels. Then, the Al2O3 diffusion barrier was restructured to close the channels and prevent further diffusion of Al atoms into the a-Si layer. A polycrystalline Si film with (111), (220) and (311) crystallization peaks in the X-ray diffraction pattern was formed by annealing at 560 °C in a conventional furnace. That film showed a p-type semiconducting behavior with good crystallinity and a large grain size of up to 14.8 µm. No layer conversion occurred between the Si and the Al layers, which had been the fundamental obstacle to the applications in the crystallization of a-Si films by using the AIC method.