In Situ Fast Temperature Measurement of Silicon Thin Films during the Excimer Laser Annealing

The formation and growth mechanism of polysilicon grains in thin films via laser annealing of amorphous silicon thin films are studied. The complete understanding of the mechanism is crucial to improve the thin film transistors used as switches in the active matrix liquid crystal displays. To understand the recrystallization mechanism, the temperature history and liquidsolid interface motion during the excimer laser annealing of 50-nm thick amorphous and polysilicon films on fused quartz substrates are intensively investigated via in-situ time-resolved thermal emission measurements, optical reflectance and transmittance measurements at near infrared wavelengths. The front transmissivity and reflectivity are measured to obtain the emissivity at the 1.52 μm wavelength of the probe IRHeNe laser to improve the accuracy of the temperature measurement. The melting point of amorphous silicon is higher than that of crystalline silicon of 1685 K by 100-150 K. This is the first direct measurement of the melting temperature of amorphous silicon thin films. It is found that melting of polysilicon occurs close to the melting point of crystalline silicon. Also the optical properties such as reflectance and transmittance are used to determine the melt duration by the detecting the difference of the optical properties of liquid silicon and solid silicon.