Growth-site-limited crystallization of amorphous silicon

The ion-beam-induced epitaxial crystallization rate of amorphous Si was measured by time-resolved reflectivity on crystal substrates with orientations every 5^∘{} from (100) to (111) to (011). The measurements show that the (011) regrows 3% slower than the (100), and the regrowth rate steadily decreases with increasing misorientation towards the (111). These data can be explained using a growth-site-limited model wherein a beam-induced defect flux to the interface results in a growth-rate dependent on the interfacial bonding configuration.