Relative crystallite sizes for thermally annealed HWCVD A-Si:H films with and without a sub-threshold laser fluence

We report data on the relative EBSD grain sizes for HWCVD a-Si:H films which have been sub-threshold laser illuminated prior to thermal annealing compared to films which have undergone no prior laser processing. For laser processed and thermally annealed films which exhibit a reduced incubation period τ_o, the EBSD grain sizes are not changed compared to those for the same film which is annealed directly from its as grown state. However, when comparing different films with similar (short) τ_os, the laser processed film exhibiting a reduced τ_o has much larger grains. The trends in EBSD grain size with in situ XRD crystallization time τ_c are consistent with theoretical predictions obtained from the classical model of nucleation and grain growth. Predictions on the final grain size versus τ_c for samples which have not yet been measured by EBSD are reported.