The ability to produce a known crystalline orientation in semiconductor materials is essential for many applications, including monolithic three-dimensional integration of devices. In particular, crystallization must be done without exceeding the thermal budget of surrounding or underlying devices. Using a 532 nm laser pulse of 2 ms duration on a 185 nm thick amorphous silicon film, the authors demonstrate that partial melting of silicon can yield crystallites several microns in size with a strong < 001 > preferential orientation. They investigate the effects of laser pulse duration, film thickness, and heat flow rate on the degree of texturing. By using a thinner silicon film and reducing the laser pulse duration further, such a process could be compatible with the thermal constraints of three-dimensional integration.