An in Situ Hrem Study of Crystal Nucleation in Amorphous Silicon thin Films

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn Situ high resolution electron microscopy has proved to be a valuable tool in investigations involving interface reactions in a number of thin film systems. We have applied this technique to dynamically record nucleation and growth sequences during the amorphous (a-) to crystalline (c-) phase transformation in silicon thin films. Interpretation of the recordings has yielded a wealth of information on the mechanisms and to some extent the kinetics of solid phase crystallization. In our recordings, we have been able to capture the critical nucleus at the a-Si-SiO2 interface. Incorporating this into classical nucleation theory enables us to make an estimate of the a-Si-c-Si interfacial energy.