Laser-stimulated tin-induced crystallization of silicon on flexible nonwoven substrates

The work is devoted to the formation of polycrystalline silicon coatings on electrospinned nonwoven polyacrylonitrile mats using a metal layer absorbing laser radiation. The results of experimental studies confirming the presence of  crystallized silicon structures on nonwoven polymer substrates are presented. The efficiency of tin films with different thicknesses is compared when using them as upper laser-absorbing layers during laser-stimulated metal-induced crystallization of silicon. It was found out that during laser processing, the metal does not ablate completely and the remaining part of it is collected into particles, the size of which depends on the initial thickness of the metal film. It  has also been established that during the laser annealing process expansion or glass transition of fibers can occur.