The nucleation and growth of isolated nickel disilicide precipitates in Ni-implanted amorphous Si thin films and the subsequent low-temperature silicide-mediated crystallization of Si was studied using in situ transmission electron microscopy. Analysis of the spatial distribution of the NiSi2 precipitates strongly suggested the occurrence of site saturation during nucleation. NiSi2 precipitates were observed in situ to migrate through the amorphous Si thin films leaving a trail of crystalline Si at temperatures as low as ∼484 °C. Initially, a thin region of epitaxial Si formed on {111} faces of the octahedral NiSi2 precipitates with a coherent interface which was shown by high-resolution electron microscopy to be Type A. Migration of the NiSi2 precipitates led to the growth of needles of Si which were parallel to 〈111〉 directions. The growth rate of the crystalline Si was limited by diffusion through the NiSi2 precipitates, and an effective diffusivity was determined at 507 and 660 °C. A mechanism for the enhanced growth rate of crystalline Si is proposed.

The silicide-mediated phase transformation of amorphous to crystalline silicon was observed in situ in the transmission electron microscope. Crystallization of nickel-implanted amorphous silicon occurred at ∼500 °C. Nickel disilicide precipitates were observed to migrate through an amorphous Si film leaving a trail of crystalline Si. Growth occurred parallel to 〈111〉 directions. High resolution electron microscopy revealed an epitaxial NiSi2/Si(111) interface which was Type A. A diffusion-controlled mechanism for the enhanced crystallization rate was determined.

Results are presented of high-resolution luminescence studies from individual dislocations and related defects in ZnSe and InP performed in a transmission electron microscope. In the case of ZnSe unusual luminescence bands (Y at 2.60 eV and S at 2.52 eV) originally observed in photoluminescence studies are attributed to dislocations. In some instances, complete quenching of the excitonic transitions was observed to correlate with the presence of Y emission from complex dislocation tangles. In the case of individual screw dislocations this quenching of the exciton luminescence was found to be variable; for example reduction of the exciton signal was not always observed. For InP, donor-exciton-related transitions were quenched at individual screw dislocations. Donor-acceptor pair/free-to-bound and deep level (band C) transitions were unaffected. For the case of InP, unlike ZnSe, no dislocation-related luminescence was observed within the system detection limit (0.7-4.0 eV).

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