Materials
Crystallisation of amorphous germanium thin films
How an amorphous germanium thin film changes as it crystallises, followed through its thermal and structural behaviour.
Amorphous germanium can be deposited as a thin film at relatively low temperature. On heating, it crystallises, and the way that transformation proceeds affects the electrical and optical properties of the film.
The study follows the crystallisation process and examines the conditions under which it occurs. Understanding the transformation is relevant to thin film devices, where a controlled structure is part of the design.