Two-step annealing for nickel-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon films

Nickel (Ni)-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon has been studied with a novel two-step annealing process for reducing the long annealing time and improving the structural and electrical properties of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) films. Two-step annealing is a combination of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) and conventional furnace annealing (CFA). In the two-step annealing, RTA was employed at 550 degrees C for 10 min and CFA was used at 500 degrees C for various annealing times (5,10,15, and 20 h) in N-2 ambient. The poly-Si films prepared using two-step annealing have a more uniform, larger grain size and MILC rate compared to those prepared by CFA alone. Additionally, poly-Si films prepared by RTA plus 5 h of CFA exhibit a lower resistivity of 0.42 x 10(5) Omega-cm than those processed with 25 h of CFA. (c) 2005 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.