Effects of tensile stress on growth of Ni-metal-induced lateral crystallization of amorphous silicon

The Ni-metal-induced lateral crystallization (NILC) of amorphous silicon (a-Si) has been used to fabricate low-temperature polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors. Three stages have been identified in the NILC process: (1) the formation of NiSi₂ precipitates, (2) the nucleation of crystalline Si (c-Si) on NiSi₂ precipitates, and (3) the subsequent migration of NiSi₂ precipitates and growth of c-Si. In this study, a bending fixture was used to investigate the effects of tensile stress on the growth of NILC. It was found that tensile stress did not enhance NiSi ₂ formation and c-Si nucleation stages, but enhanced the c-Si growth stage. It was also found that compressive stress did not change NILC rate.