Interaction Between Amorphous Semiconductor Thin Film and Electron Beam

The research program has been directed to obtaining a quantitative understanding of the electron beam recording and readout sensitivity characteristics of amorphous semiconductor thin films. The effort in measuring the electron beam readout sensitivity of various amorphous semiconductor thin films has been continued. The results on Ge15Te81As4 shows that contrary to earlier work, the crystalline phase has a higher secondary electron yield than the amorphous phase. A research effort to understand electron beam enhanced crystallization process in amorphous semiconductor thin film has been initiated. Some preliminary results on light effect on crystallization temperature are reported. The process and thickness dependence of crystallization temperature, T(x), in Ge-Te-As thin films is investigated. See also Semiannual technical rept. no. 1, AD0749282.