On The Mechanism of Nucleation in Pulsed-laser Quenched Si Films on SiO2

Abstract

AbstractWe have investigated the solid nucleation mechanism in laser-quenched Si films on SiO2. Previously neglected experimental steps, consisting of BHF-etching and irradiation in vacuum, were implemented to reduce potential extrinsic influences. The resulting experimental findings and computational analysis lead us to conclude that solid nucleation consistently takes place heterogeneously at, and only at, the bottom liquid Si-SiO2 interface.