A study of the solid phase epitaxial regrowth of amorphous silicon utilizing differential reflectometry

Solid phase epitaxial regrowth (SPER) of amorphous silicon on a crystalline silicon substrate has been intensively studied in the past by applying predominantly Rutherford backscattering and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. This article shows that differential reflectometry is capable of monitoring SPER nondestructively, fast, and with high precision. This is demonstrated for annealing experiments involving arsenic ion-implanted silicon. Three distinct regimes of the recrystallization process have been identified. Their activation energies have been measured. (orig.)