The evaluation of the crystallinity of laser annealed polycrystalline silicon-on-silicon structures by Raman-microprobe polarization measurements

Raman-microprobe polarization measurements have been performed on amorphized and cw-laser-annealed polycrystalline silicon films which are directly deposited on crystalline silicon substrates. Distribution of local Raman intensity has been measured across the laser-annealed stripes. In order to characterize the perfection in the crystallographic orientation of the recrystallized zone, we have introduced a quantity which is related to the depolarization factor. The analysis with this quantity has enabled us to determine the extent to which the crystal orientations of grains in the annealed zone are aligned along those of the underlying substrate and to estimate the regrowth mechanisms involved in the laser-annealing conditions.