Patterned structures of silicon nanocrystals prepared by pulsed laser interference crystallization of ultra-thin a-Si:H single-layer

We employ the method of phase-modulated KrF excimer pulsed laser interference crystallization to fabricate nanometer-sized crystalline silicon (nc-Si) with the two-dimensional (2D) patterned distribution within the ultra-thin a-Si:H single-layer. The local crystallization occurs after interference laser irradiation under proper energy density. The results of atomic force microscopy, Raman scattering spectroscopy, cross-section transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy demonstrate that Si nano-crystallites are formed within the initial a-Si:H single-layer, selectively located in the discal regions with the diameter-of 350 nm and patterned with the same 2D periodicity of 2.0 mum as the phase-shifting grating. The results show that the present method can be used to fabricate patterned nc-Si films for device applications.