Solid-phase crystallization and dopant activation of amorphous silicon films by pulsed rapid thermal annealing

Abstract

An improved pulsed rapid thermal annealing method has been used to crystallize amorphous silicon films prepared by PECVD. The solid-phase crystallization and dopant activation process can be completed with time–temperature budgets such as 10 cycles of 60-s 550°C thermal bias/1-s 850°C thermal pulse. A mean grain size more than 1000 Å and a Hall mobility of 24.9 cm2/V s are obtained in the crystallized films. The results indicate that this annealing method possesses the potential for fabricating large-area and good-quality polycrystalline silicon films on low-cost glass substrate.