Microstructure characterization of location-controlled Si-islands crystallized by excimer laser in the μ-Czochralski (grain filter) process

Microstructure of location-controlled grains by μ-Czochralski process was characterized with electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We confirmed that defects in the location-controlled grain are mainly Σ3 twin boundary generating from near the rim of the grain filter, while random grain boundaries hardly exist. Dependence of the population was investigated on process parameters. We found that most of the Σ3 twin boundaries have {1 1 1} facet plane, which, in same case, are massed with a nano-meter spacing. Σ3 twin boundaries having facet planes {1 1 2} and {1 1 1}/{1 1 5} were also found to exist.