Nickel-enhanced solid-phase epitaxial regrowth of amorphous silicon

Low-temperature solid-phase epitaxial regrowth of amorphous silicon (a-Si) is reported for an ion-amorphized NiSi structure. The epitaxial regrowth follows after monosilicide formation upon heating to only 425 ^∘{}C, as evidenced by Rutherford backscattering and channeling measurements and transmission electron microscopy. The regrowth rate of the a-Si layer (thickness {~}600 {}) is enhanced by more than a factor of 300 compared with ordinary solid-phase epitaxy of ion-implanted a-Si. This is attributed to results from redistribution of Ni towards the a-Si/c-Si interface, as shown by secondary-ion mass spectrometry, where the presence of Ni, or Ni-silicide nuclei, enhances the solid-phase epitaxy.