Patterned distribution of silicon nanocrystals prepared by pulsed laser interference crystallization of an ultrathin a-Si:H single layer

We employ the method of phase-modulated KrF excimer pulsed laser interference crystallization (LIC) to fabricate nanocrystalline silicon with a two-dimensional (2D) patterned distribution within an ultrathin a-Si:H single layer. A local phase transition occurs in the ultrathin a-Si:H film (topical reviethe appropriate energy density. The results from atomic force microscopy, Raman scattering spectroscopy, planar and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy demonstrate that Si nanocrystallites are formed within the initial a-Si:H single layer, selectively located in disc-shaped regions with diameters of 250 nm and patterned with the same 2D periodicity of 2.0 μm as the phase-shifting grating