In situ electron microscope study of the phase transformation, structure and growth of thin Te1−xSex films

Abstract An in-situ electron microscope technique was utilized to observe directly the amorphous-to-crystalline phase transformation, the isothermal growth rates, as well as the orientation and structure of the recrystallized films for the Te 1-x Se x alloy system for x =0.2, 0.3 and 0.4. Activation energies of E =0.91, 0.93 and 0.96 eV and crystallization temperatures of T c =-14, 81.5 and 85°C for the three alloys, respectively, were found. In all three cases the crystallization process originated from single crystalline nuclei with a hexagonal structure and with the c -axis in general parallel to the substrate surface.