Grain boundary interactions in multicrystalline silicon grown from small randomly oriented seeds.

Grain boundary (GB) evolution in multicrystalline silicon grown from small randomly oriented seeds was investigated by statistical analysis of GB interactions (triple junction) with respect to growth height. As grain size increased with growth, the number of GB interactions decreased. The fraction of GB annihilation interactions (which decrease the total number of GBs) is higher throughout growth and increases with growth height in comparison with that of GB generation interactions (which increase the total number of GBs). The dominant GB interaction is that involving Σ3 GBs, especially at the later stage of growth. The impact of GB interactions on grain structure evolution is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]