Moving Front Fixing in Thin Film Laser Annealing

The process of laser melting and recrystallization of thin silicon films, which are deposited on amorphous substrates, is capable of improving the semiconductor electrical and crystalline properties. The process is controlled by the intensity of the laser beam, the material translation speed, and the thermal and radiative properties of the semiconductor layer and the encapsulating structure. Accurate theoretical modeling of the associated phase change process is essential for optimal material processing. This paper presents a numerical model implementing a front-fixing approach and body-fitted curvilinear grids to analyze the heat transfer and the induced crystallization rates in thin film laser annealing. The results are compared to experimental data and reasonable agreement is obtained. Further improvements depend upon knowledge of thin film thermal and optical properties.