Tin doping effect on crystallization of amorphous silicon obtained by vapor deposition in vacuum

Abstract

Abstract. The influence of tin impurity on amorphous silicon crystallization was investigated using the methods of Raman scattering, Auger spectroscopy at ion etching, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray fluorescence microanalysis in thin films of Si:Sn alloy manufactured by thermal evaporation. Formation of Si crystals of the 2 to 4-nm size has been found in the amorphous matrix alloy formed at the temperature 300 C. Total volume of nanocrystals correlates with the content of tin and can comprise as much as 80% of the film. The effect of tin-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon occurred only if there are clusters of metallic tin in the amorphous matrix. The mechanism of tin-induced crystallization of silicon that has been proposed takes into account the processes in eutectic layer at the interface metal tin -amorphous silicon.

Low-temperature formation of GeSn nanocrystallite thin films by sputtering Ge on self-assembled Sn nanodots on SiO2/Si substrate

“…What interest is that thermal annealing temperature for preparation of nanocrystalline Si thin film is much lower than that of polycrystalline Si. 15) Similarly, it might be applied to fabricate GeSn nanocrystalline thin films at much lower temperature.…”