Impurity stimulated crystallization and diffusion in amorphous silicon.

We have observed an amorphous to polycrystalline silicon transformation with concomitant In redistribution in In implanted silicon at temperatures well below those at which solid phase epitaxial growth or random crystallization is observed to take place in undoped films. The process is extremely rapid and is characterized by a strong dependence on both In concentration and temperature. We propose that the In redistribution and accompanying silicon crystallization are mediated by molten, In-rich precipitates in amorphous silicon.