In situ indium–induced crystallisation of low temperature nano–poly silicon (LTNPS) thin film on ITO glass substrate

For the first time, the low temperature nano–poly silicon (LTNPS) thin films were formed on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass with a temperature of ∼200ºC using the in situ indium–induced crystallisation of the plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD) deposited a–Si. Compared with the conventional method for transfer of the PECVD formed amorphous structure to the nano–poly one, the technology features a low temperature operation, and without an extra high temperature (300ºC) post–deposition annealing (PDA). Thus the LTNPS can be applied for solar cell or thin film transistor in flexible substrates pre–coated by ITO film. We used SEM, XRD and Raman to characterise the deposited films, and interpret the growing mechanisms in details.

Keywords: AZO, ITO, MIC, nano–poly silicon, PECVD, plasma enhanced CVD, PDA, XRD, SEM, indium tin oxide, crystallisation, low temperature NPS, LTNPS thin films, glass substrate, solar cells, thin film transistors