Thermal parameters affecting low temperature zone-melting recrystallization of films

Abstract

An experimental study and numerical simulation of low temperature (m.p.<800 °C) zone-melting recrystallization (ZMR) were conducted to identify the critical thermal processing parameters. Results were compared to previous studies of high temperature ZMR of silicon. The critical thermal processing parameters for low temperature ZMR were found to be the conductive heat flux from the strip heater through the gas and to the film, the radiative heat transfer from the strip heater, the susceptor temperature, the effects of phase change on material properties, the scanning speed, and the material’s latent heat of fusion. Thermal effects of these parameters are studied and discussed. In contrast to high temperature ZMR, in which the thermal radiation is the main mode of heat transfer, low temperature ZMR processing relies heavily on the conductive heat flux from the line heater. The dominance of the conductive heat flux makes melting ‘‘explosive.’’