The kinetics of phase separation and growth of Si precipitates during high-temperature annealing of nonstoichiometric SiOx films is theoretically studied. The mechanisms of silicon diffusion and capture by Si precipitates as well as oxygen emission and out diffusion from the Si precipitate interface toward the silicon oxide bulk are compared. The experimental kinetics of phase separation within 1s annealing SiOx films at 1000°C can be explained by the latter mechanism involving either neutral or negatively charged oxygen atoms. The maximum values of the activation energy of oxygen emission are estimated to match the simulation results to the experimental data.

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The effect of enhanced hydrostatic pressure (HP, (10–12) × 108 Pa) on thermally stimulated phase decomposition of silicon suboxide layers processed at 450–1000 °C was investigated by infrared spectroscopy and photoluminescence measurements. HP stimulates decomposition of non‐stoichiometric SiOx most efficiently at about 450 °C. In spite of enhanced SiOx decomposition, visible photoluminescence appears in HP‐treated samples at higher annealing temperatures in comparison to those annealed under ambient pressure (AP, 105 Pa). Contrary to that, application of HP results in essential enhancement of near‐infrared emission at lower annealing temperatures as compared to processing under AP. This can be related to pressure‐stimulated crystallization of Si inclusions. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

We applied conductive Atomic Force Microscopy (c-AFM) to characterize the electrical properties of low-temperature polycrystalline silicon. Current distribution and current-voltage characteristics are recorded using conductive-diamond covered AFM tip and low noise external amplifier. Spectroscopic ellipsometry and optical microscopy are used to determine the grain size, crystalline fraction and film thickness. The correlation between structural properties of the poly-Si fabricated with varied conditions and c-AFM results is revealed, which shows the potential of this technique as convenient method for evaluation of metal-induced-crystallized poly-Si quality.