THE TWO-STEP RAPID THERMAL ANNEALING EFFECT OF THE PREPATTERNED A-SI FILMS

프리 패턴한 비정질 실리콘 박막의 two-step RTA 효과

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon(a-Si:H) films which were deposited by plasma enhanced chemical deposition(PECVD) have been recrystallized by the two-step rapid thermal annealing(RTA) employing the halogen lamp. The a-Si:H films evolve hydrogen explosively during the high temperature crystallzation step. In result, the recrystallized polycrystalline silicon(poly-Si) films have poor surface morphology. In order to avoid the hydrogen evolution, the films have undergone the dehydrogenation step prior to the crystallization step Before the RTA process, the active area of thin film transistors (TFT's) was patterned. The prepatterning of the a-Si:H active islands may reduce thermal damage to the glass substrate during the recrystallization. The computer generated simulation shows the heat propagation from the a-Si:H islands into the glass substrate. We have fabricated the poly-Si TFT's on the silicon wafers. The maximun ON/OFF current ratio of the device was over $10^5$.