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Metal-induced crystallization

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Combined with certain metallic species, amorphous films can crystallize in a process known as metal-induced crystallization (MIC). The effect was discovered in 1969, when amorphous germanium (a-Ge) films crystallized at surprisingly low temperatures when in contact with Al, Ag, Cu, or Sn.[1] The effect was also verified in amorphous silicon (a-Si) films,[2] as well as in amorphous carbon[3] and various metal-oxide films.[4]

Likewise, the MIC evolved from simple temperature-driven annealing approaches to others involving laser[5] [6] or microwave radiation,[7] [8] for example.

A very common variant of the MIC procedure is the metal-induced lateral crystallization (MILC).[9] In this case, the metal is deposited (onto the top or at the bottom) of some selected areas of the desired amorphous film. Upon annealing, crystallization starts from the portion of the amorphous film that is in contact with the metal species, and the MIC proceeds laterally.

So far, lots of studies have been carried out to investigate the MIC phenomenon -- invariably by applying different sample production methods and characterization tools. According to them, the MIC process is highly susceptible to the type and amount of the metallic species, the sample history (production method, geometry and annealing details), as well as to the methodology to determine crystallization. Besides, the MIC process is well beyond the mere diffusion of species (as it is usually discussed in studies involving layered sample structures) and involves many complex atomic-thermodynamic processes at the microscopic level.[10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

References

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  1. ^ Oki, F.; Ogawa, Y.; Fujiki, Y. (1969). "Effect of deposited metals on the crystallization temperature of amorphous germanium film". Japanese Journal of Applied Physics. 8 (8): 1056. doi:10.1143/JJAP.8.1056.
  2. ^ Bosnell, J.R.; Voisey, U.C. (1970). "The influence of contact materials on the conduction crystallization temperature and electrical properties of amorphous germanium, silicon and boron films". Thin Solid Films. 6 (3): 161–166. doi:10.1016/0040-6090(70)90036-2.
  3. ^ Ramirez, A.G.; Itoh, T.; Sinclair, R. (1999). "Crystallization of amorphous carbon thin films in the presence of magnetic media". Journal of Applied Physics. 85 (3): 1508–1513. doi:10.1063/1.369334.
  4. ^ Lermusiaux, L.; Mazel, A.; Carretero-Genevrier, A.; Sanchez, C.; Drisko, G.L. (2022). "Metal-induced crystallization in metal oxides". Accounts of Chemical Research. 55 (2). American Chemical Society: 171–185. doi:10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00592. ISSN 0001-4842. PMC 8772270. PMID 34979086.
  5. ^ Her, Y.C. (2015). "Chapter 7 - Laser-assisted MIC and its applications in data storage". in Metal-Induced Crystallization - Fundamentals and Applications. Pan Stanford Publishing Pte. Ltd. ISBN 978-981-4463-40-9.
  6. ^ Murley, D.; Young, N.; Trainor, M.; McCulloch, D. (2001). "An investigation of laser annealed and metal-induced crystallized polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors". IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices. 48 (6): 1145–1151. doi:10.1109/16.925240.
  7. ^ Rao, R.; Sun, G.C. (2004). "Microwave annealing enhances Al-induced lateral crystallization of amorphous silicon thin films". Journal of Crystal Growth. 273 (1–2): 68–73. doi:10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2004.07.089.
  8. ^ Danty, P.M.P.; Mazel, A.; Cormary, B.; DeMarco, M.L.; Allouche, J.; Flahaut, D.; Jimenez-Lamana, J.; Lacomme, S.; Delville, M.H.; Drisko, G.L. (2020). "Microwave-assisted and metal-induced crystallization: A rapid and low temperature combination" (PDF). Inorganic Chemistry. 59 (9). American Chemical Society: 6232–6241. doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c00358. ISSN 0020-1669. PMID 32324402. S2CID 216110910.
  9. ^ Lee, S.W.; Joo, S.K. (1996). "Low temperature poly-Si thin-film transistor fabrication by metal-induced lateral crystallization". IEEE Electron Device Letters. 17 (4): 160–162. doi:10.1109/55.485160.
  10. ^ Zanatta, A.R.; Chambouleyron, I. (2005). "Low-temperature Al-induced crystallization of amorphous Ge". Journal of Applied Physics. 97 (9): 094914–11pp. doi:10.1063/1.1889227.
  11. ^ Ferri, F.A.; Zanatta, A.R.; Chambouleyron, I. (2006). "Metal-induced nanocrystalline structures in Ni-containing amorphous silicon thin films". Journal of Applied Physics. 100 (9): 094311–7pp. doi:10.1063/1.2362877.
  12. ^ Zanatta, A.R.; Kordesch, M.E. (2014). "On the structural-optical properties of Al-containing amorphous Si thin films and the metal-induced crystallization phenomenon". Journal of Applied Physics. 116 (7): 073511–7pp. doi:10.1063/1.4893654.
  13. ^ Zanatta, A.R.; Ferri, F.A. (2015). "Chapter 4 - Metal-induced crystallization by homogeneous insertion of metallic species in amorphous semiconductors". in Metal-Induced Crystallization - Fundamentals and Applications. Pan Stanford Publishing Pte. Ltd. ISBN 978-981-4463-40-9.
  14. ^ Zanatta, A.R. (2023). "The role of tin atoms on the crystallization of amorphous germanium films". Materials Chemistry and Physics. 306: 128045–7pp. doi:10.1016/j.matchemphys.2023.128045.
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