As flat panel displays shrink in size, thin film transistor (TFT) technology is driven to improve display resolution (i.e. reduce pixel transistor size) and to integrate more functionality (i.e. circuitries) onto the display substrate. Thus, a key TFT process is the fabrication of higher quality silicon active layer on the amorphous display substrate. Excimer-laser-annealing (ELA) is one method by which energy is delivered to melt amorphous silicon films to produce directionally solidified, high quality silicon crystals without causing extensive heating of the substrate.