Low-Resistivity Phosphorus-Doped Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Films Formed by Catalytic Chemical Vapor Deposition and Successive Rapid Thermal Annealing

Abstract

Low-resistivity phosphorus (P)-doped polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin films were prepared from amorphous silicon (a-Si) films deposited by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (Cat-CVD) and successive rapid thermal annealing (RTA). RTA was carried out at 1000°C for crystallization of heavily P-doped a-Si prepared by Cat-CVD. The films are suitable for the solid-phase crystallization (SPC) process because of their low hydrogen (H) content. It is revealed that both the crystallization and low resistivity of 0.001 Ω·cm are realized by RTA at 1000°C for only 5 s. Even after high-temperature RTA processes, perfect surface-flatness is maintained and neither peeling nor bubbling due to H atoms in the films is observed.