Open AccessMolecular dynamics simulations of pulsed laser crystallization of amorphous silicon ultrathin films
Author(s) -
Guran Chen,
Chao Song,
Jun Xu,
Danqing Wang,
Ling Xu,
Zhongyuan Ma,
Wei Li,
Xinfan Huang,
Kunji Chen
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
wuli xuebao
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.199
H-Index - 47
ISSN - 1000-3290
DOI - 10.7498/aps.59.5681
Subject(s) - materials science , nucleation , nanocrystalline silicon , crystallization , nanocrystalline material , amorphous solid , silicon , amorphous silicon , thin film , chemical physics , substrate (aquarium) , grain size , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , optoelectronics , crystallography , crystalline silicon , composite material , thermodynamics , chemistry , physics , oceanography , geology , engineering
Laser crystallization of amorphous Si thin films is one of reliable method of preparing nanocrystalline silicon with high density and controllable size. In the present work, molecular dynamics simulation based on Tersoff potential was used to study the laser crystallization process of ultrathin amorphous silicon film (2.7 nm) on amorphous silicon nitride substrate. The influence of laser fluences on the crystallization and formation of nanocrystalline Si was investigated. It was found that there exists a laser fluence window in which nucleation and growth of nanocrystalline Si can be realized, which is in agreement with our previous experimental observations. The nucleation and growth processes in microscopic scale were simulated and the size of formed nanocrystalline Si was limited in both vertical and lateral directions by the film thickness and the formation of grain boundaries.