A transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigation was performed on poly-Si films produced by aluminum-induced crystallization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) in the presence of a 2 nm SiO2 layer. The poly-Si films were fabricated on glass substrates. The study showed that introducing a 2 nm SiO2 layer produces poly-Si films of large (1-20 mu m) grains. The annealing temperatures and annealing times were kept below 450 degrees C and 20 min, respectively. The grain sizes were verified by TEM imaging. Electron diffraction patterns of the grains revealed that they are of good quality and that the grains have no Al layer beneath them. (c) 2006 The Electrochemical Society.