Aluminum induced crystallization of amorphous silicon: Microstructural and crystallographic investigations

Several experiments have been performed to evaluate the nucleation, growth, structure and microstructure of aluminum induced catalytically activated low temperature crystallization of amorphous Si. TEM and in-situ XRD investigations on hydrogenated amorphous silicon (alpha-Si:H) grown by PECVD and coated with a thin layer of aluminum on it revealed the beginning of solid state transformation of polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) in the form of heterogeneously evolved nuclei in alpha-Si:H at 140degC and significant nano-scaled dendrites at 150degC.