Atomic structure evolution of the mechanism for nickel induced lateral crystallization of amorphous silicon

The initial growth of nickel metal induced lateral crystallization of amorphous silicon was studies by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Previous work by different groups reported that the extensive crystallized silicon grows by means of the thin needle-like crystallites of [110] orientation, which advance along the <111> directions within the film plane. In our study, growing of a [2~11] orientation crystallite is found at the initial stage of crystallization and with further growth, the [110]-oriented crystallites take place along with residual [ 2~11]-oriented crystallites.