Observation of Laser-Induced Melting of Silicon Film Followed by Amorphization

Abstract

Transient conductance measurements were used to study laser-induced amorphization of polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) film. A 20 nm-thick phosphorus-doped poly-Si film fabricated on a quartz substrate was melted by irradiation with a 30 ns-pulsed XeCl excimer laser. When the melt duration exceeded 70 ns, the silcon film was completely amorphized through rapid solidification. Formation of the amorphous thin film may be brought about by homogeneous solidification without crystalline nucleation.