Raman spectral analysis of Si films solid-phase-crystallized on glass substrates using pulse laser with crystallization-induction layers of yttria-stabilized zirconia

Abstract

The solid-phase crystallization of amorphous Si films with/without a crystallization-induction (CI) layer of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) was performed using a Nd:YAG pulse laser. We investigated the crystallinity of the Si films by Raman spectroscopy. It was found that, at the same crystalline fraction, the FWHM of the crystalline silicon (c-Si) peak for Si/YSZ/glass was smaller than that for Si/glass. The result is considered to be due to the CI effect of the YSZ layer. This was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy observation, which showed that the grain size of Si on YSZ layers was more uniform than that on glass substrates. On the other hand, at a lower beam energy, the crystalline quality of the Si films was found to be better although the increase in the crystallization rate with the pulse number N is smaller. On the basis of the above results, the crystallization model of an a-Si film on a YSZ layer is speculated.