Effect of Sn on crystallinity and electronic property of low temperature grown polycrystalline-Si1−x−yGexSny layers on SiO2

We examined the formation of polycrystalline-Si1−x−yGexSny layers on SiO2 by the solid phase crystallization method. We investigated the impact of Sn incorporation on the polycrystallization, crystallinity, and electrical property of Si1−xGex layers. We found that the polycrystallization time of Si1−x−yGexSny decreases with increasing in the Sn content in the annealing at 500 °C. No Sn precipitation is observed after the crystallization of Si1−x−yGexSny layer with an Sn content of 2%, while severe Sn precipitation is found in the sample with an Sn content of 10%. Moreover, larger grains of polycrystal can be obtained by the incorporation of 2%-Sn with comparison to that without Sn. The enlargement of polycrystalline grain of Si1−x−yGexSny improves in the hole mobility to 74 cm2/V s.