Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 March 2011
Thin a-Si:H films, with a thickness of 1 µm, with different hydrogen concentrations, prepared by hot wire deposition were crystallized by 514.5 nm cw Ar ion laser radiation, with a power density between 150 and 270 kW/cm2. The crystallization was continuously monitored by Raman spectroscopy for exposures up to hours. The analysis of crystallization process using Johnson-Mehl phenomenological equations showed an apparent crystallization energy of around 0.5 eV and low dimensional crystal growth. The mean value of the crystal size decreases with increasing irradiation energy and initial hydrogen content and varies between 3 and 6 nm.