Catalytic Chemical Sputtering: A Novel Method for Obtaining Large-Grain Polycrystalline Silicon

A novel method, called the catalytic chemical sputtering method, is proposed. In this method, hydrogen atoms generated by the catalytic cracking reaction between a heated tungsten catalyzer and hydrogen gas, react with solid silicon to draw out silicon-hydride species from it chemically, and such species are again decomposed by the catalytic cracking reaction or directly transported to form silicon films on substrates. Thus, silicon films are prepared at low substrate temperatures without using silane or disilane gases. By this method, polycrystalline silicon with a grain size larger than 1 µm is obtained at substrate temperatures of approximately 400°C.