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Amorphous silicon crystallization for TFT applications

  • SUNY Buffalo

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Thin film hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) was deposited on molybdenum (Mo) substrates by d.c. glow discharge. We investigated the a-Si:H crystallization using four anneal techniques; nitrogen atmosphere furnace, vacuum, rapid thermal anneal (RTA), and excimer laser anneal. Anneal temperature ranged from 100 to 1200 °C. Excimer laser energy per pulse ranged from 90 to 340 mJ. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed microstructure of crystallized Si film with grain size over 0.5 μm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy were employed to determine the degree of crystallization. The a-Si:H started to crystallize at temperatures over 600 °C. An 850 °C anneal reduced film resistivity to 105 (Ω-cm) for intrinsic and 1 (Ω-cm) for n-type. Coplanar type thin film transistors (TFT) with gate channel length of 25 μm and width of 220 μm were fabricated with various insulating layers; rf sputtered SiO2, Si3N4, BaTiO3, MgO, and evaporated SiO. The first two exhibited the least leakage current. The as-grown intrinsic a-Si:H field effect mobility was around 0.03 (cm2V.s) and delay time was 5×10-7 s. The solid phase crystallized silicon film exhibited high leakage current. The delay time of an excimer laser anneal treated TFT was reduced to 2.5×10-7 s. Crystallized Si film mobility was improved to 15 (cm2/V.s).

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCrystallization and Related Phenomena in Amorphous Materials
EditorsMatthew Libera, Tony E. Haynes, Peggy Cebe, James E. Dickinson Jr.
PublisherPubl by Materials Research Society
Pages701-706
Number of pages6
ISBN (Print)1558992200
StatePublished - 1994
EventProceedings of the 1993 Fall Meeting of the Materials Research Society - Boston, MA, USA
Duration: Nov 29 1993Dec 2 1993

Publication series

NameMaterials Research Society Symposium Proceedings
Volume321
ISSN (Print)0272-9172

Conference

ConferenceProceedings of the 1993 Fall Meeting of the Materials Research Society
CityBoston, MA, USA
Period11/29/9312/2/93

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