Direct observation of intra-grain defect formation during local solid-phase epitaxy
Abstract Despite relentless efforts to improve fabrication processes, the achievement of a defect-free polycrystalline film (poly-film) through solid-phase crystallization (SPC) remains challenging, as evidenced by structural analyses. Understanding the dynamics of intermediate processes, including...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10376-5 |
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| author | Manabu Tezura Takanori Asano Riichiro Takaishi Mitsuhiro Tomita Masumi Saitoh Hiroki Tanaka |
| author_facet | Manabu Tezura Takanori Asano Riichiro Takaishi Mitsuhiro Tomita Masumi Saitoh Hiroki Tanaka |
| author_sort | Manabu Tezura |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Despite relentless efforts to improve fabrication processes, the achievement of a defect-free polycrystalline film (poly-film) through solid-phase crystallization (SPC) remains challenging, as evidenced by structural analyses. Understanding the dynamics of intermediate processes, including the precursor phenomena, is crucial for developing strategies to suppress defect formation. In this study, we directly observed elementary processes during crystal growth at local interfaces between crystalline Si (c-Si) grains and uncrystallized amorphous Si (a-Si) regions within a Si thin film using in situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. By analyzing the sequential formation of Si atomic planes with a time resolution of 10 ms, we found that crystal growth at the local c-Si/a-Si interfaces proceeded via either continuous solid-phase epitaxy (SPE) or discontinuous SPE—a newly identified growth mode. Continuous SPE represents an ideal mode of layer-by-layer growth, resulting in defect-free Si grains. In contrast, discontinuous SPE leads to the formation of uncrystallized closed-shell regions inside the grains, which serve as the origin of intra-grain defects. These findings demonstrate that intra-grain defects, which degrade the electrical properties of poly-films, arise from the abnormal growth dynamics of the atomic planes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7af10ec00ca44412b457eb522cea29b4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-7af10ec00ca44412b457eb522cea29b42025-08-20T03:42:34ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111010.1038/s41598-025-10376-5Direct observation of intra-grain defect formation during local solid-phase epitaxyManabu Tezura0Takanori Asano1Riichiro Takaishi2Mitsuhiro Tomita3Masumi Saitoh4Hiroki Tanaka5Frontier Technology Research and Development Institute, KIOXIA CorporationFrontier Technology Research and Development Institute, KIOXIA CorporationFrontier Technology Research and Development Institute, KIOXIA CorporationFrontier Technology Research and Development Institute, KIOXIA CorporationFrontier Technology Research and Development Institute, KIOXIA CorporationFrontier Technology Research and Development Institute, KIOXIA CorporationAbstract Despite relentless efforts to improve fabrication processes, the achievement of a defect-free polycrystalline film (poly-film) through solid-phase crystallization (SPC) remains challenging, as evidenced by structural analyses. Understanding the dynamics of intermediate processes, including the precursor phenomena, is crucial for developing strategies to suppress defect formation. In this study, we directly observed elementary processes during crystal growth at local interfaces between crystalline Si (c-Si) grains and uncrystallized amorphous Si (a-Si) regions within a Si thin film using in situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. By analyzing the sequential formation of Si atomic planes with a time resolution of 10 ms, we found that crystal growth at the local c-Si/a-Si interfaces proceeded via either continuous solid-phase epitaxy (SPE) or discontinuous SPE—a newly identified growth mode. Continuous SPE represents an ideal mode of layer-by-layer growth, resulting in defect-free Si grains. In contrast, discontinuous SPE leads to the formation of uncrystallized closed-shell regions inside the grains, which serve as the origin of intra-grain defects. These findings demonstrate that intra-grain defects, which degrade the electrical properties of poly-films, arise from the abnormal growth dynamics of the atomic planes.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10376-5 |
| spellingShingle | Manabu Tezura Takanori Asano Riichiro Takaishi Mitsuhiro Tomita Masumi Saitoh Hiroki Tanaka Direct observation of intra-grain defect formation during local solid-phase epitaxy Scientific Reports |
| title | Direct observation of intra-grain defect formation during local solid-phase epitaxy |
| title_full | Direct observation of intra-grain defect formation during local solid-phase epitaxy |
| title_fullStr | Direct observation of intra-grain defect formation during local solid-phase epitaxy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Direct observation of intra-grain defect formation during local solid-phase epitaxy |
| title_short | Direct observation of intra-grain defect formation during local solid-phase epitaxy |
| title_sort | direct observation of intra grain defect formation during local solid phase epitaxy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10376-5 |
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