Polycrystalline silicon films on ceramic substrates by aluminium-induced crystallisation process

Growth of polycrystalline silicon layers on ceramic substrates using the aluminium induced crystallisation (AIC) process of amorphous silicon is presented. Alumina and mullite ceramics were used as substrates as well as thermally-oxidized silicon for comparison. We have found a faster layer exchange process and therefore smaller grains in the final continuous poly-Si seed film on mullite and alumina. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the high crystalline quality of this AIC layer. Silicon epitaxy on the AIC seed layers by high temperature CVD is also reported, thanks to the ceramic substrate.