Optical and electronic properties of HWCVD and PECVD silicon films irradiated using excimer and Nd:Yag lasers

• Published in: Thin solid films Vol. 501; no. 1; pp. 125 - 128
• Main Authors: Shaikh, M.Z., O'Neill, K.A., Anthony, S., Persheyev, S.K., Rose, M.J.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 20.04.2006; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Chemical vapor deposition (including plasma-enhanced cvd, mocvd, etc.); Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Hot-wire CVD; Hydrogen dilution; Laser crystallisation; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics; Plasma-enhanced CVD; Laser crystallisation; Hydrogen dilution; Plasma-enhanced CVD; Hot-wire CVD; Atomic force microscopy; Annealing; Inorganic compounds; Semiconductor materials; Films; Physical radiation effects; Crystallization; Roughness; Controlled atmospheres; Amorphous state; Experimental study; Hot wire; Dark conductivity; CVD; Laser radiation; Silicon; PECVD; Microcrystal; Nanostructured materials; Nanocrystal
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2005.07.138

Thin silicon film samples were deposited using HWCVD and PECVD techniques to study the influence of laser annealing on their optical and electronic properties. Samples were annealed in air using a XeCl excimer and Nd:Yag lasers. Excimer laser annealing (ELA) at 50 to 222 mJ/cm 2 increased conductivity in PECVD films by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude and in HWCVD films by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude. ELA was also seen to decrease the optical gap in PECVD films by 0.5 eV and HWCVD films by 0.15 eV. Silicon–oxygen bond content was higher in as-deposited HWCVD films than PECVD films. Hydrogen content (at.%) in PECVD films was higher than HWCVD for higher H dilution ratios. A Nd:Yag laser 3-beam interference pattern was used to produce a periodic array of crystals in both PECVD and HWCVD films.