Structural and kinetic aspects of electron-beam crystallization of amorphous films of antimony sulfide

Abstract

Electron-beam crystallization of amorphous films of Sb2S3 of both stoichiometric composition and with the excess of Sb was studied by the methods of transmission electron microscopy “in situ” with video registration of structural changes. It was revealed, that Sb2S3 films of stoichiometric composition crystallize polymorphous in a single stage. Films with the excess of Sb crystallize in two stages. There is predominant crystallization of Sb during the first stage of the process, and subsequent crystallization of matrix of Sb2S3 during the second stage. The kinetic curves, demonstrating the dependence on time of the density and size of micro-crystals of Sb, as well as of the dependence on time of the size of Sb2S3 crystals and of fraction of the crystalline phase were obtained with the help of frame-by-frame analysis of the video. Primary crystallization of Sb2S3 occurs in accordance with the layer polymorphous crystallization mode with the relative length δ0 ≈ 4992. The dependence on time of the fraction crystallized has a quadratic character. Secondary crystallization of Sb2S3 occurs also in accordance with the layer polymorphous crystallization mode with the relative length δ0 ≈ 9725. The dependence on time of the fraction crystallized can be described by power function with the exponent 0.68.