Tungsten silicide formation by XeCl excimer-laser irradiation of W/Si samples

We report a study of the formation of tungsten silicide at the W-Si interface, induced by multipulse (up to 300 shots) XeCl excimer-laser irradiation of W(150 nm)/Si and W(500 nm)/Si samples. Laser fluences ranging from 0.6 to 1.8 J/cm² were used. After laser treatment the samples were examined by different diagnostic techniques: Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, X-ray scattering, resistometry, and surface profilometry. Numerical computations of the evolution and depth profiles of the temperature in the samples as a consequence of a single 30 ns laser pulse were performed as well. The results indicate that it is possible to obtain a tungsten silicide layer at the W-Si interface at quite low fluences. The layer thickness increases with the number of laser pulses. Complete reaction of the 150 nm thick W film with silicon was obtained at the fluence of 1.2 J/cm² between 30 and 100 laser pulses and at 1.5 J/cm² after 30 laser pulses. The sheet resistance of these silicides was 5–10 . At the used fluences for the 500 nm thick W film only the onset of silicide synthesis at the W-Si interface was observed.     

Analyses of surface coloration on TiO2 film irradiated with excimer laser

TiO₂ film of around 850 nm in thickness was deposited on a soda-lime glass by PVD sputtering and irradiated using one pulse of krypton-fluorine (KrF) excimer laser (wavelength of 248 nm and pulse duration of 25 ns) with varying fluence. The color of the irradiated area became darker with increasing laser fluence. Irradiated surfaces were characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Surface undergoes thermal annealing at low laser fluence of 400 and 590 mJ/cm². Microcracks at medium laser fluence of 1000 mJ/cm² are attributed to surface melting and solidification. Hydrodynamic ablation is proposed to explain the formation of micropores and networks at higher laser fluence of 1100 and 1200 mJ/cm². The darkening effect is explained in terms of trapping of light in the surface defects formed rather than anatase to rutile phase transformation as reported by others. Controlled darkening of TiO₂ film might be used for adjustable filters.     

Pulsed laser synthesis of titanium silicides using a Q-Switched Nd: Glass laser

Titanium films 120 nm thick deposited on single-crystalline silicon (c-Si) as well as poly-Si/SiO₂/c-Si substrates were subjected to Nd: glass laser irradiation. Laser fluences of 1,1.5, and 2 J/cm² were used at the pulse duration of 30 ns. From RBS analysis it follows that on c-Si substrate titanium suicide is formed using one pulse of 1.5 J/cm² energy density. On the substrate with surface overlayers lower fluence (1 J/cm²) was sufficient. Under these conditions the sheet resistance of the samples decreased from the initial value 5 / to 2–3 /. The smaller threshold density of energy for suicide formation in Ti/polySi/SiO₂/c-Si structure is shown to be a consequence of the SiO₂ underlayer, which is a poorer heat conductor than silicon. The experimental results of the suicide synthesis are in semi-quantitative accordance with the numerical computations of the temperature vs time evolution and depth temperature distribution in our samples.     

ArF-excimer-laser annealing of 3C–SiC films—diode characteristics and numerical simulation

We fabricated Schottky barrier diodes using 3C–SiC films deposited on Si(1 1 1) by lamp-assisted thermal chemical vapor deposition and annealed with an ArF excimer laser. Improvement in both the reverse current and the ideality factor was obtained with 1–3 pulses with energy densities of 1.4–1.6 J/cm² per pulse. We solved a heat equation numerically assuming a transient liquid phase of SiC. The calculated threshold energy density for melting the surface was 0.9 J/cm². The thermal effects of Si substrate on SiC film were also discussed. The experimental optimum condition was consistent the numerical simulation.     

Output and picosecond amplification characteristics of an efficient and high-power discharge excimer laser

Improvements in output pulse energy and efficiency of a conventional capacitor-transfer-type discharge excimer laser with automatic preionization have been achieved by extending the discharge volume and resulting moderate pumping of the active medium. The discharge laser produces a pulse energy of more than 1 J for XeCl, KrF, and ArF lasers in square beams of about 2×2 cm², and the maximum overall efficiency observed is 2.9% for XeCl, 3.2% for KrF and 1.8% for ArF. The laser device has been involved in a picosecond ( 32 ps) XeCl laser amplification system, and was operated as an amplifier at a repetitive frequency of 10 Hz. Saturation fluence for XeCl laser was measured to be 1.4 mJ/cm², and the picosecond pulse energy of 40 mJ was extracted from the amplifier.On leave from Ebara Corp., 6-6-7, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104, JapanOn leave from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, LTD., 4-6-22, Kan-on shinmachi, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima 733, Japan     

Structure of crystallized layers by laser annealing of 〈100〉 and 〈111〉 self-implanted silicon samples

Channeling effect techniques with a 2.0 MeV He⁺ Rutherford backscattering and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the crystallized layers after Q-switched ruby laser irradiation of 4000 Å thick amorphous layer on 〈100〉 and 〈111〉 underlined crystal substrates. At a laser energy density of 2.5 J/cm² the crystal layer on the 〈111〉 specimen contains a large density of stacking-faults, that on 〈100〉 specimen contains a very small amount of screw dislocation lines. High quality single-crystal layers have been obtained after irradiation at 3.5 J/cm². From a comparison with the growth rate and defect structure observed in thermally annealed implanted-amorphous layers, we propose that crystal growth by 50 ns pulse laser annealing occurs by melting the amorphous layer.     

Synthesis of chromium silicide with laser pulses

Thin chromium films, 60 nm thick, were deposited onto single-crystal silicon wafers. The samples were irradiated with 30 ns single pulses from a Nd: glass laser at fluences ranging from 0.4 to 2.25 J/cm². Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction measurements evidence the formation of CrSi₂ layers at the Cr/Si interface. The silicide thickness depends on the laser fluence.     

Influence of the laser wavelength on the epitaxial growth and electrical properties of La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 films grown by excimer laser-assisted MOD

Epitaxial La_1−xSr_xMnO₃ (LSMO) films were prepared by excimer laser-assisted metal organic deposition (ELAMOD) at a low temperature using ArF, KrF, and XeCl excimer lasers. Cross-section transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) observations confirmed the epitaxial growth and homogeneity of the LSMO film on a SrTiO₃ (STO) substrate, which was prepared using ArF, KrF, and XeCl excimer lasers. It was found that uniform epitaxial films could be grown at 500 °C by laser irradiation. When an XeCl laser was used, an epitaxial film was formed on the STO substrate at a fluence range from 80 to 140 mJ/cm² of the laser fluence for the epitaxial growth of LSMO film on STO substrate was changed. When the LaAlO₃ (LAO) substrate was used, an epitaxial film was only obtained by ArF laser irradiation, and no epitaxial film was obtained using the KrF and XeCl lasers. When the back of the amorphous LSMO film on an LAO substrate was irradiated using a KrF laser, no epitaxial film formed. Based on the effect of the wavelength and substrate material on the epitaxial growth, formation of the epitaxial film would be found to be photo thermal reaction and photochemical reaction. The maximum temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of the epitaxial La_0.8Sr_0.2MnO₃ film on an STO substrate grown using an XeCl laser is 4.0%/K at 275 K. XeCl lasers that deliver stabilized pulse energies can be used to prepare LSMO films with good a TCR.     

Time-resolved measurements during backside dry etching of fused silica

The laser-induced backside dry etching (LIBDE) investigated in this study makes use of a thin metal film deposited at the backside of a transparent sample to achieve etching of the sample surface. For the time-resolved measurements at LIBDE fused silica samples coated with 125 nm tin were used and the reflected and the transmitted laser intensities were recorded with a temporal resolution of about 1 ns during the etching with a ∼30 ns KrF excimer laser pulse. The laser beam absorption as well as characteristic changes of the reflection of the target surface was calculated in dependence on the laser fluence in the range of 250-2500 mJ/cm² and the pulse number from the temporal variations of the reflection and the transmission. The decrease of the time of a characteristic drop in the reflectivity, which can be explained by the ablation of the metal film, correlates with the developed thermal model. However, the very high absorption after the film ablation probably results in very high temperatures near the surface and presumably in the formation of an absorbing plasma. This plasma may contribute to the etching and the surface modification of the substrate. After the first pulse a remaining absorption of the sample was measured that can be discussed by the redeposition of portions of the ablated metal film or can come from the surface modification in the fused silica sample. These near-surface modifications permit laser etching with the second laser pulse, too.     

Protective films of diamond for high Tc superconducting detectors

Deposition of diamond like carbon (DLC) films on YBCO superconducting detectors is reported. The method is to make a DLC film by C⁺ implantation and XeCl excimer laser irradiation. The implantation energy is 20–35 keV and C⁺ implantation dosages D=1×10¹⁴–5×10¹⁸ ions/cm². The parameters of XeCl excimer laser ablation are: wavelength, 308 nm; energy density, 20–50 mJ/cm²; and width of pulse, 45 ns. The superconductivity of C⁺-implanted YBCO is also investigated, while the damage behavior of C⁺ implantation and the mechanism of coating DLC are analyzed.     

Study of streamer development in high-pressure electric discharge: Applications to excimer lasers

This work represents a study of the streamer formation in plasma for XeCl excimer laser at high pressure. It is based on a longitudinal mono-dimensional model of the cathodic zone. In this model, we show the possibility of the streamer development in the cathodic sheath and its propagation during the phase of plasma formation. The model gives the space and time evolution of the electron density and the discharge electric field in the presence of the streamer. The obtained results clearly indicate that, for conditions close to experiments for 50–100 ns laser pulse durations and electron power deposition in the MW/cm³ range in a 300 cm³ chamber, the streamer instability, related to the sheath evolution, patently appears. The drift velocity reaches a typical value of about 10⁸ cm/s.     

Nanostructures on SiC surface created by laser microablation

Silicon carbide (SiC), as it is well-known, is inaccessible to usual methods of technological processing. Consequently, it is important to search for alternative technologies of processing SiC, including laser processing, and to study the accompanying physical processes. The work deals with the investigation of pulsed laser radiation influence on the surface of 6H-SiC crystal. The calculated temperature profile of SiC under laser irradiation is shown. Structural changes in surface and near-surface layers of SiC were studied by atomic force microscopy images, photoluminescence, Raman spectra and field emission current-voltage characteristics of initial and irradiated surfaces. It is shown that the cone-shaped nanostructures with typical dimension of 100-200 nm height and 5-10 nm width at the edge are formed on SiC surface under nitrogen laser exposure (λ = 0.337 μm, t_p = 7 ns, E_p = 1.5 mJ). The average values of threshold energy density 〈W_thn〉 at which formation of nanostructures starts on the 0 0 0 1 and surfaces of n-type 6H-SiC(N), nitrogen concentration n_N ≅ 2 × 10¹⁸ cm⁻³, are determined to be 3.5 J/cm² and 3.0 J/cm², respectively. The field emission appeared only after laser irradiation of the surface at threshold voltage of 1000 V at currents from 0.7 μA to 0.7 mA. The main role of the thermogradient effect in the processes of mass transfer in prior to ablation stages of nanostructure formation under UV laser irradiation (LI) was determined. We ascertained that the residual tensile stresses appear on SiC surface as a result of laser microablation. The nanostructures obtained could be applied in the field of sensor and emitting extreme electronic devices.     

具有窄光致发光谱的纳米Si晶薄膜的激光烧蚀制备

采用XeCl脉冲准分子激光器，在10Pa的Ar气环境下，烧蚀高阻单晶Si靶，分别在距靶3cm的玻璃和单晶Si衬底上制备了纳米Si薄膜. 相应的Raman谱和x射线衍射谱均证实了薄膜中纳米Si晶粒的形成. 扫描电子显微镜图像显示，所形成的薄膜呈均匀的纳米Si晶粒镶嵌结构. 相应的光致发光峰位出现在599nm，峰值半高宽为56nm，与相同参数下以He气为缓冲气体的结果相比，具有较窄的光致发光谱，并显示出谱峰蓝移现象. 关键词： 纳米Si晶粒 脉冲激光烧蚀 薄膜形貌 光致发光     

Focused ion beam gallium implantation into silicon

Samples formed of a thin metal film deposited on silicon single crystal were annealed with electron and laser (ruby and excimer) pulses over a wide range of fluences. From a comparison of the experimental results with the temperature profiles of the irradiated samples, it turns out that suicide formation starts when the metal/silicon interface reaches the lowest eutectic temperature of the binary metal/silicon system. The growth rate of reacted layers is of the order of 1 m/s.     

Preionization kinetics of an X-ray preionized XeCl gas discharge laser

The influence of preionization conditions on the performance of a XeCl gas discharge laser preionized by a short, high intensity x-ray pulse, has been studied. The laser output energy and optical pulse temporal characteristics have been used to determine the roles of initial electron density and of electron attachment to HCl and to impurities. Although the short pulse preionization technique functions well for XeCl when the laser voltage pulse has a short risetime (?20 ns), it is less well suited to XeCl lasers using slowly rising voltage pulses (>50 ns), or to F₂ containing gas mixtures (KrF and XeF lasers).     

Modification of the properties of ferromagnetic layers based on A<Superscript>3</Superscript>B<Superscript>5</Superscript> compounds by pulsed laser annealing

Laser annealing experiments were performed in order to increase the concentration of electrically active manganese in the layers of A³B⁵: Mn semiconductors. An LPX-200 KrF excimer laser with a wavelength of 248 nm and a pulse duration of ~30 ns was used. It is shown experimentally that at a pulse energy of an excimer laser of >230 mJ/cm², the hole concentration in GaAs: Mn layers increases to 3 × 10²⁰ cm^–3. The negative magnetoresistance and the anomalous Hall effect with a hysteresis loop for annealed GaAs: Mn samples remain the same up to 80–100 K. Similar changes are observed for InAs: Mn layers as a result of laser annealing.     

Laser-reactive ablation deposition of silicon-nitride films

Silicon-nitride films were deposited on silicon waters by XeCl (308 nm) excimer-laser ablation of silicon in low-pressure (0.05–5 mbar) ammonia atmospheres. Series of 10 000 pulses at the repetition rate of 8 Hz were directed to the target surface. The fluence was set at about 5 J/cm². Pulse duration was about 30 ns. The deposited films were characterized by different techniques (X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, profilometry). Silicon-nitride films with thickness close to 1 m were obtained under specific experimental conditions.     

XPS studies of short pulse laser interaction with copper

The effect of laser ablation on copper foil irradiated by a short 30 ns laser pulse was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The laser fluence was varied from 8 to 16.5 J/cm² and the velocity of the laser beam from 10 to 100 mm/s. This range of laser fluence is characterized by a different intensity of laser ablation. The experiments were done in two kinds of ambient atmosphere: air and argon jet gas.The chemical state and composition of the irradiated copper surface were determined using the modified Auger parameter (α′) and O/Cu intensity ratio. The ablation atmosphere was found to influence the size and chemical state of the copper particles deposited from the vapor plume. During irradiation in air atmosphere the copper nanoparticles react with oxygen and water vapor from the air and are deposited in the form of a CuO and Cu(OH)₂ thin film. In argon atmosphere the processed copper surface is oxidized after exposure to air.     

80 A/cm2 electron beams from metal targets irradiated by KrCl and XeCl excimer lasers

Due to the growing demand for high-current and long-duration electron-beam devices, laser electron sources were investigated in our laboratory. Experiments on electron-beam generation and propagation from aluminium and copper targets illuminated by XeCl (308 nm) and KrCl (222 nm) excimer lasers, were carried out under plasma ignition due to laser irradiation. This plasma supplied a spontaneous accelerating electric field of about 370 kV/m without an external accelerating voltage. By applying the modified one-dimensional Poisson equation, we computed the expected current and we also estimated the plasma concentration during the accelerating process. At 40 kV of accelerating voltage, an output current pulse of about 80 A/cm² was detected from an Al target irradiated by the shorter wavelength laser.On leave from Institute of General Physics, Moscow, Russia     

Yellow luminescence from precipitates in GaN epilayers

In this work, the excimer-laser-induced crystallization of a-Si films on SiO₂ was investigated using a long-pulse-duration (200 ns) XeCl source. The microstructural analysis of the laser-irradiated area, for incident energy densities comprised between the thresholds corresponding to the surface and full melting, respectively, of the Si layer, was performed by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. A super-lateral-growth regime was evidenced quite comparable to that which occurs when classical excimer laser pulses of short duration (≈20 ns) are used. A numerical simulation of the surface melt dynamics was also performed and compared to the experimental observations. Received: 8 February 1999 / Accepted: 15 February 1999 / Published online: 5 May 1999