In situ Raman characterization of reversible phase transition in stress-induced amorphous silicon

The authors report a reversible phase transition of stress-induced amorphous silicon subjected to laser heating. In situ Raman characterization suggested that a metastable crystalline phase precipitates from the amorphous silicon upon annealing at ∼400 °C and vanishes after subsequent cooling at room temperature. The unusual reversible phase transition is most likely associated with the unique atomic structure of stress-induced amorphous silicon and high residual stresses within amorphous imprints.