Crystallization of as-deposited amorphous silicon films on glass prepared by magnetron sputtering with different substrate biases and temperatures

The rapid thermal annealing (RTA) crystallization of sputtered amorphous silicon (a-Si) films on quartz glass deposited with different substrate biases (0–150 W) and at different substrate temperatures (100–400 °C) has been investigated in detail by an X-ray diffractometer, and Raman and transmission electron microscopes. It was found that only the a-Si film deposited under the optimal condition (substrate bias: 100 W, substrate temperature: 300 °C) attained noticeable degrees of crystallization during the post-deposition RTA at 750 °C. The RTA crystallized a-Si film deposited under optimal condition possessed crystalline fraction of 94.1%, and was proved to be polycrystalline in nature. Furthermore, it was revealed that the structural property of Si film improved with post-deposition RTA time or temperature.