ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a method of using intentionally agglomerated silicon for the active semiconductor film of thin-film transistors (TFTs). It shows the results of laser irradiation silicon films of various thicknesses, with the aim of producing the desired agglomerated structure. The chapter also describes the fabrication process for complementary metal oxide semiconductors transistors on fused silica substrates. Two quartz-substrate samples were processed for transistor fabrication. Surface texturing of bulk or thin-film silicon on insulator (SOI) is a well-known phenomenon, observed after the partial or complete melting of the semiconductor under laser irradiation. The chapter also shows the electrical characteristics of the TFTs. It discusses the mechanism of formation of the repeatable 3D film structure. The chapter also discusses preliminary experimental results aimed at addressing the main issues with the excimer step-and-scan approach, towards achieving a high-throughput, highly uniform controlled-agglomeration process. It shows that, for certain laser-annealing conditions, a very repeatable structure of high crystallinity is created.
