Poly-Si thin film transistors fabricated by combining excimer laser annealing and metal induced lateral crystallization

Two μm long polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) grains were obtained by irradiating a XeCl excimer laser beam on metal induced laterally crystallized (MILC) poly-Si films due to gradual melting temperature decrease of the MILC poly-Si near the nickel-rich metal induced crystallized (MIC) poly-Si. Poly-Si thin film transistors (TFTs) fabricated by employing the large poly-Si grains, exhibited considerably improved field effect carrier mobility and ON/OFF current ratio compared with conventional MILC and/or excimer laser annealed (ELA) poly-Si TFTs due to reduction of defect density in the poly-Si channel. Our experimental results showed that the combination of ELA and MILC might be beneficial for practical device application.