Laser annealed HWCVD and PECVD thin silicon films. Electron field emission

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 501; no. 1; pp. 310 - 313
• Main Authors: O'Neill, K.A., Shaikh, M.Z., Lyttle, G., Anthony, S., Fan, Y.C., Persheyev, S.K., Rose, M.J.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 20.04.2006; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Amorphous silicon; Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced cvd, mocvd, etc.); Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Exact sciences and technology; Field emission; Field emission, ionization, evaporation, and desorption; Fowler-Nordheim; Laser processing; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics; Laser processing; Amorphous silicon; Field emission; Fowler-Nordheim; Solar cells; Fowler-Nordheim theory; Atomic force microscopy; Annealing; Inorganic compounds; Semiconductor materials; Thick films; Crystallization; Amorphous state; Experimental study; Hot wire; Electron field emission; Thin films; CVD; Laser radiation; Morphology; Silicon; PECVD; Microcrystal
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2005.07.303

Electron Field Emission (FE) properties of various laser annealed thin silicon films on different substrates were investigated. HWCVD microcrystalline and PECVD amorphous silicon films were irradiated with Nd : YAG and XeCl Excimer lasers at varying energy densities. Encouraging FE results were mainly from XeCl Excimer laser processed PECVD and HWCVD films on metal backplanes. FE measurements were complemented by the study of film surface morphology. Geometric field enhancement factors from surface measurements and Fowler-Nordheim Theory (FNT) were compared. FE properties of the films were also found to be particularly influenced by the backplane material.