Metal induced crystallization of amorphous silicon using metal solution

Amorphous silicon (a-Si) was crystallized by metal induced crystallization using metal solution. The a-Si films spin coated with a 50,000 ppm Ni solution were crystallized at as low as $500^{\circ}C$. Needlelike morphology, developed as a result of the migration of $NiSi_2$, precipitates, appears in the MIC poly-Si. The growth of the needlelike crystallites proceeds to a direction parallel to (111). The crystallization temperature can be lowered to $450^{\circ}C$ by Au addition. The enhancement of crystallization results from the decrease of interfacial energy at the NiSi2/Si interface by Au addition.