Lateral structuring of silicon thin films by interference crystallization

Abstract

Laterally structured microcrystalline silicon in the submicron range has been produced from amorphous silicon thin films by transient holography using a high-energy pulse laser. The energy density along the lines of the transient optical grid is sufficient to induce crystallization at the intensity maxima. Large area laterally structured microcrystalline silicon has been produced by selectively etching the amorphous phase with simultaneous growth of μc-Si:H in a hydrogen-silane plasma.