Abstract.
A novel simple method of crystallization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin films is described. Namely, we studied a metal-induced crystallization enhanced by a dc electric field in sandwich p+–i–n+structures. The samples were fabricated from wide-bandgap a-Si:H with high hydrogen content (13–51 at. % H). Macroscopic islands of a-Si:H (up to ∼1 mm in diameter) in the region between upper (CrNi) and lower (ITO) contacts crystallize instantaneously when a sufficiently high dc electric field (≳105 V cm-1) is applied. The crystallization sets in at room temperature and ambient atmosphere and is spatially selective. A proposed microscopic mechanism of such an easy macroscopic crystallization consists in easy diffusion of Ni and/or Ni silicides (representing nucleation sites) through a dense network of voids in hydrogen-rich a-Si:H.
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Received: 30 November 2000 / Accepted: 3 May 2001 / Published online: 27 June 2001
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Pelant, I., Fojtík, P., Luterová, K. et al. Electric-field-enhanced metal-induced crystallization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon at room temperature . Appl Phys A 74, 557–560 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003390100913
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003390100913