Recrystallization of amorphous silicon film by tungsten halogen lamp annealing

Abstract
The transformation of amorphous silicon films to polycrystalline materials induced by tungsten halogen lamp annealing has been studied by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Tungsten halogen lamp annealing shortens annealing time, requiring only 1/10– 1/100 the time needed to grow the same size grains as by furnace annealing. Isochronal annealing by a tungsten halogen lamp reveals that the activation energy for grain growth is 0.64 eV, while that by furnace annealing is 0.23 eV. The cause of this difference is not clear; however the nucleation and following recrystallization process at low temperatures are found to depend on the heating rate and annealing time.