Thickness effect of amorphous Si film on formation of 7×7 superlattice surface during its solid phase epitaxial growth

Low‐energy electron diffraction intensity from crystallized Si film after solid phase epitaxial growth of its amorphous phase was measured. The intensity profile always shows a formation of 7×7 reconstructed structure, and the intensity I depends on the thickness of the amorphous Si film, d: the value of I from the crystallized film with d≪30 Å is the same as that from the 7×7 reconstructed Si (111) substrate; I decreases exponentially with the increase of d (30 Å≪d≪200 Å). The change of I is discussed from the viewpoint of the crystallization of the amorphous film composed of strongly distorted microcrystalline‐like grains which have a uniform orientation due to the proximity effect of the Si (111) substrate.