Classification of metals inducing filed aided lateral crystallization (FALC) of amorphous silicon

The effects of various metals on Field Aided Lateral Crystallization (FALC) behaviors of amorphous silicon (a-Si) were investigated. Under an influence of electric field, metals such s Cu, Ni and Co were found to fasten the lateral crystallization toward a metal-free region, exhibiting a typical FALC behavior while the lateral crystallization of a-Si was not obvious for Pd. However, Au, Al and Cr did not induce the lateral crystallization of a-Si in metal-free region. Such phenomenological differences in various metals were studied in terms of dominant diffusing species (DDS) in the reaction between metal and Si. It was judged that the applied electric field enhanced the crystallization velocity by accelerating the diffusion of metal atoms since the occurrence of lateral crystallization would be strongly dependent on the diffusion of metal atoms than that of Si atoms. Therefore, it was concluded that he only metal-dominant diffusing species in the reaction between metal and Si results in the crystallization of a-Si in metal-free region.