An analysis of the formation of bulk amorphous silicon from the melt

The possibility of forming bulk amorphous silicon from the undercooled liquid is analyzed by calculations of the rates for homogeneous nucleation of the amorphous and crystalline phases, the rate of heterogeneous nucleation of the crystalline phase on the liquid-amorphous interface, and the possibility of crystallization of the amorphous phase in the solid state. It appears that bulk formation of the amorphous phase may be possible in...