Surface-energy-driven grain growth during rapid thermal annealing (<10 s) of thin silicon films

Surface-energy-driven grain growth in 70-nm-thick phosphorus-doped Si films is reported for anneals of less than 10 s over a temperature range of ∼1100 to 1225 °C. Secondary grains grow to sizes of 1 μm or larger and have (111) crystallographic texture, indicating surface energy minimization. A kinetic analysis of grain growth suggests that while the rate of grain boundary motion is limited by P diffusion, the initial growth rate can be high, 72 nm/s at 1100 °C.