A new thin film Growth/Regrowth Process Design and Experimental Comparisons with Molecular Dynamic Analyses

A new concept of thin film growth/regrowth process design taking atomic motions into account using molecular dynamics is proposed. In the system, a modified many-body Tersoff-type interatomic potential for silicon has been adopted. The mathematical derivation of higher order derivatives was rigorously treated. Among many applications, the solid phase growth process was studied. It has been found from simulation studies that the solid phase growth of crystalline silicon proceeded along the [110] direction layer by layer. Furthermore, it has been obtained that all the atoms are activated in an extremely thin amorphous silicon film. Based on simulated results, an experiment using an extremely thin amorphous silicon film was carried out. It has been found that the perfect spherical silicon crystals with a uniform size and spacing can be grown from a thin amorphous silicon film.