Crystallization of electron beam evaporated a-Si films on textured glass substrates by flash lamp annealing

We investigate the crystallization of amorphous silicon (a-Si) films, by flash lamp annealing (FLA), formed by electron beam (EB) evaporation on textured glass substrates. We confirmed that EB-evaporated a-Si films formed on textured glass can be crystallized by FLA. Optical reflectance on EB-evaporated a-Si can be reduced by using the textured glass, leading to a reduction in the fluence of a FL pulse required for the crystallization. The fluence of a FL pulse for the crystallization of EB-evaporated a-Si films tends to increase with temperature during EB evaporation of a-Si films. The pre-existing crystal grains in precursor Si films may affect the mechanism of their crystallization. The usage of textured glass substrates leads the formation of polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) films with fine grains. This may result from the prevention of lateral thermal growth and the suppression of explosive crystallization (EC). Unlike in the case of the crystallization of EB-evaporated a-Si films on flat glass substrates, poly-Si films formed on textured glass substrates are not cracked. This may be due to the suppression of the emergence of EC. (C) 2019 The Japan Society of Applied Physics