Microcrystalline Si thin films by re-crystallization of electrophoretic deposited Si nanoparticle films

A new route to producing microcrystalline silicon (µc-Si) thin films by re-crystallizing Si nanoparticle films by flash lamp method is presented. High quality Si nanoparticle films with high uniformity and high particle packing density were obtained using a stable non-aqueous Si nanoparticle suspension and the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method. Morphology and crystallinity of as-deposited and flash lamp re-crystallized Si nanoparticle films were studied.