Study of aluminum-induced crystallization process using sputtered Al layer

To grow smooth and continuous polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) films by aluminum-induced crystallization (AIC), both of the Al and a-Si layer were deposited by dc magnetron sputtering. The size of the poly-Si islands and possibly the grain size of the poly-Si films could be increased with higher deposition rate of the Al layer and thicker aluminum oxide interface layer. As a result, it was possible to grow smooth and continuous poly-Si thin films of high crystalline quality by sputtering to deposit precursor layers.