Effect of flash lamp annealing on electrical activation in boron-implanted polycrystalline Si thin films

• Intensified visible light irradiation was generated via a high-powered Xe arc lamp.
• The disordered Si atomic structure absorbs the intensified visible light.
• The rapid heating activates electrically boron-implanted Si thin films.
• Flash lamp heating is applicable to low temperature polycrystalline Si thin films.

Boron-implanted polycrystalline Si thin films on glass substrates were subjected to a short duration (1 ms) of intense visible light irradiation generated via a high-powered Xe arc lamp. The disordered Si atomic structure absorbs the intense visible light resulting from flash lamp annealing. The subsequent rapid heating results in the electrical activation of boron-implanted Si thin films, which is empirically observed using Hall measurements. The electrical activation is verified by the observed increase in the crystalline component of the Si structures resulting in higher transmittance. The feasibility of flash lamp annealing has also been demonstrated via a theoretical thermal prediction, indicating that the flash lamp annealing is applicable to low-temperature polycrystalline Si thin films.

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