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High-resolution transmission-electron-microscopy study of ultrathin Al-induced crystallization of amorphous Si

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Zumin Wang ,
Lars P.H. Jeurgens ,
Jiang Y. Wang ,
Fritz Phillipp  and
E.J. Mittemeijer
Zumin Wang*
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, Heisenbergstrasse 3, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Lars P.H. Jeurgens
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, Heisenbergstrasse 3, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Jiang Y. Wang
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, Heisenbergstrasse 3, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Fritz Phillipp
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, Heisenbergstrasse 3, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
E.J. Mittemeijer
Affiliation:
Max Planck Institute for Metals Research, Heisenbergstrasse 3, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: z.wang@mf.mpg.de
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Abstract

The process of ultrathin Al-induced crystallization of amorphous Si (a-Si) has been investigated by using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopic depth profiling. Ultrathin Al overlayers, with thicknesses of 2.0 and 4.5 nm, have been shown to be capable of inducing full crystallization of an a-Si bottom layer as thick as 40 nm at temperatures as low as 320 °C. After full crystallization of a-Si, the Al of the original 2.0-nm Al overlayer completely moved through the Si layer, leaving a high-purity, large-grained crystalline Si layer above it. Such movement of Al also occurs for the originally 4.5-nm Al overlayer, but in this case the crystallized Si layer is relatively fine-grained and contains ∼5.0 at.% of residual Al nanocrystals distributed throughout the layer. The observations have been interpreted on the basis of sites available for nucleation of crystalline Si in the microstructure of the Al/Si layer system upon annealing.

Keywords

Auger electron spectroscopy (AES)Thin filmTransmission electron microscopy (TEM)
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 24 , Issue 11 , November 2009 , pp. 3294 - 3299
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2009

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