Enhanced crystallinity of silicon film deposited at low temperature

Abstract

Silicon thin films were vacuum deposited onto fused quartz at 600 °C with a prior coating of ultrathin aluminum layer (∼ 500 Å). Significant increase in crystallinity was observed from both x−ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy studies. The problem of handling aluminum film at this temperature in a vacuum of 1×10⁻⁶ Torr is discussed, and distribution of aluminum in the silicon film is studied using Auger spectroscopy.