Effect of tin on the processes of silicon-nanocrystal formation in amorphous SiO$_x$ thin-film matrices

The effect of tin on the processes of silicon-nanocrystal formation in amorphous silicon oxide ($a$-SiO$_x$, $x\approx$ 1.15) thin-film matrices is studied. It is established that the tin impurity accelerates the processes of crystallization of amorphous silicon. After heat treatment in an argon atmosphere, silicon crystallites embedded in the tin-containing silicon oxide ($a$-SiO$_x$Sn) matrix are smaller in size (6–9 nm) compared to crystallites in $a$-SiO$_x$ ($\ge$ 10 nm). It is shown that, upon annealing of $a$-SiO$_x$Sn at temperatures increased from 800 to 1100$^\circ$C, the volume fraction of the crystalline phase increases from 20 to 80%. At the same time, in the samples free from tin, the silicon crystalline phase appears only upon annealing at 1000$^\circ$C and 1100$^\circ$C, and the volume fraction of the crystalline phase is 45 and 65%, respectively.