This article is cited in 6 papers

Manufacturing, processing, testing of materials and structures

Formation and crystallization of silicon nanoclusters in SiN$_x$ :H films using femtosecond pulsed laser annealings

T. T. Korchagina^a, V. A. Volodin^ab, B. N. Chichkov<sup>c

a</sup> Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk
^b Novosibirsk State University
^c Laser Zentrum Hannover, 30419 Hannover, Germany

Abstract: SiN$_x$ :H films of different compositions grown on glass and silicon substrates using plasma-chemical vapor deposition at a temperature of 380$^\circ$C have been subjected to pulsed laser annealings. The treatments are performed using titanium-sapphire laser radiation with a wavelength of 800 nm and a pulse duration of 30 fs. Structural changes in the films are studied using Raman spectroscopy. Amorphous silicon nanoclusters are detected in as-grown films with molar fractions of excess silicon of $\sim$1/5 and larger. Conditions required for pulsed crystallization of nanoclusters were determined. According to the Raman data, no silicon clusters were detected in as-grown films with a small amount of excess silicon ($x >$ 1.25). Pulsed treatments resulted in the formation of silicon nanoclusters 1–2 nm in size in these films.

Received: 22.04.2010
Accepted: 07.05.2010

 English version: Semiconductors, 2010, 44:12, 1611–1616

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