Direct Evidence of Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Films Formation during Aluminum Induced Crystallization by In-Situ Heating TEM Observation

Seiichiro Ii; Takeshi Hirota; Kensuke Fujimoto; Youhei Sugimoto; Naoki Takata; Ken-ichi Ikeda; Hideharu Nakashima; Hiroshi Nakashima

doi:10.2320/matertrans.MRA2007312

Direct Evidence of Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Films Formation during Aluminum Induced Crystallization by In-Situ Heating TEM Observation

Seiichiro Ii, Takeshi Hirota, Kensuke Fujimoto, Youhei Sugimoto, Naoki Takata, Ken-ichi Ikeda, Hideharu Nakashima, Hiroshi Nakashima

Author information

Seiichiro Ii
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Sojo University
Takeshi Hirota
Department of Molecular and Materials Sciences, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University
Kensuke Fujimoto
Department of Molecular and Materials Sciences, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University
Youhei Sugimoto
Department of Applied Science for Electronics and Materials, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University
Naoki Takata
Department of Metallurgy and Ceramics Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology
Ken-ichi Ikeda
Department of Electrical and Material Sciences, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University
Hideharu Nakashima
Department of Electrical and Material Sciences, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University
Hiroshi Nakashima
Art, Science and Technology Center for Cooperative Research, Kyushu University

Keywords: aluminum induced crystallization, polycrystalline silicon thin film, transmission electron microscopy, in-situ heating observation, metastable state

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2008 Volume 49 Issue 4 Pages 723-727

DOI https://doi.org/10.2320/matertrans.MRA2007312

View "Advance Publication" version (March 5, 2008).

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Abstract

The formation behavior of polycrystalline silicon thin films during the aluminum induced crystallization (AIC) process was investigated by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and in-situ heating transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. The STEM observation and electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis of ex-situ heat-treated specimen revealed that the a-Si layer and Al layer switched the positions with each other during the heat treatment, resulting the crystallization of the a-Si layer. Furthermore, the in-situ heating TEM observation and EDS analysis of as-deposited specimen revealed the mixed state of Si and Al in an a-Si/Al film and the lateral growth of crystalline Si grain during the heating. The mechanism of AIC and switching layers were also discussed from the experimental results and the binary phase diagram of Al-Si system.

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