Femtosecond and Nanosecond Laser Pulse Crystallization of Thin a-Si:H Films on Non-Refractory Glass Substrates

Abstract

Thin (90 nm) a-Si:H films on Corning 7059 glass substrates have been crystallized by 120 fs pulses of Ti:sapphire and nanosecond pulse XeCl and KrF excimer lasers. Initial films were deposited using low-temperature plasma enhanced deposition technique. The structural properties of the films were characterized using the spectroscopy of Raman scattering, excited by the argon laser (line 514.5 nm) and using electron microscopy. For the femtosecond pulse treatments the ablation threshold was found to be some more than 65 mJ/cm2. When pulse energy density was lower than ~30 mJ/cm2 no structural changes were observed. In optimal regimes the films were found to be fully crystallized with needle grain structure, according to the Raman scattering and electron microscopy data. Estimates show the pulse energy density was lower than the Si melting threshold, so non-thermal “explosive” impacts may play some role. The main result in nanosecond XeCl and KrF laser pulse crystallization is the narrower window between beginning of crystallization and ablation for KrF laser (wavelength 248 nm) than for the XeCl laser (wavelength 308 nm). So, the possibility of the femtosecond and nanosecond laser pulses to crystallize a-Si films on non refractory glass substrates was shown. The results obtained are of great importance for manufacturing of polycrystalline silicon layers on non-refractory large-scale substrates for giant microelectronics.