Nd: YAG laser annealing of gallium-implanted silicon

A Q-switched Nd: YAG laser with a pulse duration of 20 ns was used to investigate effects of laser annealing in gallium implanted silicon. Rutherford backscattering and Hall-effect measurements were performed to evaluate the annealed layer. Differential Hall-effect measurements were carried out to obtain carrier concentration profiles after annealing. It was found that a maximum sheet carrier concentration of 8×10¹⁵ cm⁻² can be obtained for a gallium implantation of 10¹⁶ cm⁻² by laser annealing with an energy density of more than 1.0 J cm⁻². Although the peak carrier concentration was found to be 8.0×10²⁰ cm⁻³, the annealed layer showed polycrystalline structures even after annealing with an energy density up to 4J cm⁻². The annealing took place in the solid phase in this energy density range.     

An investigation into the effects of high laser fluence on hydroxyapatite/calcium phosphate films deposited by pulsed laser deposition

Pulsed laser deposited mixed hydroxyapatite (HA)/calcium phosphate thin films were prepared at room temperature using KrF laser source with different laser fluence varying between 2.4 J/cm² and 29.2 J/cm². Samples deposited at 2.4 J/cm² were partially amorphous and had rough surfaces with a lot of droplets while higher laser fluences showed higher level of crytallinity and lower roughness of surfaces of obtained samples. Higher laser fluences also decreased ratio Ca/P of as-deposited samples. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed traces of carbonate groups in obtained samples, which were removed after thermal annealing. The decomposition of HA into TCP was observed to start at about 400 °C. The formation of new crystalline phase of HA was found after annealing as well. The cracks observed on surface of sample deposited at 29.2 J/cm² after annealing indicated that the HA/ calcium phosphate films deposited at higher laser energy densities were probably more densed.     

Crystallization of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbon films with laser and thermal annealing

The crystallization of silicon rich hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbon films prepared by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition technique has been induced by excimer laser annealing as well as thermal annealing. The excimer laser energy density (E_d) and the annealing temperature were varied from 123 to 242 mJ/cm² and from 250 to 1200 °C respectively. The effects of the two crystallization processes on the structural properties and bonding configurations of the films have been studied. The main results are that for the laser annealed samples, cubic SiC crystallites are formed for E_d ≥ 188 mJ/cm², while for the thermal annealed samples, micro-crystallites SiC and polycrystalline hexagonal SiC are observed for the annealing temperature of 800 and 1200 °C respectively. The crystallinity degree has been found to improve with the increase in the laser energy density as well as with the increase in the annealing temperature.     

Behavior of antimony above solid solubility in silicon produced by implantation and laser annealing

Abstract

Antimony implantation into <111> silicon was carried out at RT with a dose of 4.5 × 10¹⁵ cm^?2, energy 75 keV. For the annealing of the sample pulses of a Q-switched ruby laser were used with energy density of ～ 1.5 Joule/cm² and duration of 15–20 nsec. Hall effect measurement was applied to determine the electrical activity of the layers. Lattice location and the depth profile of Sb was studied by RBS and channeling technique. Measurements show that after laser annealing Sb occupies mostly substitutional sites in Si with 84% electrical activity. It has been shown that after laser annealing the concentration of Sb in lattice sites is almost an order of magnitude higher than the limit of solid solubility. Isochron and isothermal annealing of these samples up to 1150°C was carried out to study the kinetics of reverse annealing of antimony.     

Optical properties of laser-processed In x Ga1−x As

Various spots in GaAs, In-diffused with the 1.064 μm line of pulsed Nd:YAG laser with several energy densities, have been characterized and compared with samples prepared by the conventional rapid thermal annealing method. Of the energy densities used, the spot processed with an energy density of 7 J/cm² shows In _x Ga_1?x As phases with an indium concentration of 60% and below. An abrupt boundary in the indium concentration is observed at the edge of the laser-annealed spot. The diffusion depth is found to be less than 1000 Å. The spot processed with an energy density of 14 J/cm² shows considerable damage from the irradiation resulting in strain in the lattice. The samples prepared by the thermal annealing method show similar results to the laser-diffused samples. However, these thermally annealed samples suffer from arsenic loss unlike the laser-processed samples. It can be concluded that laser-induced alloying of indium into GaAs can be achieved with less arsenic loss than the thermal annealing method.     

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.     

Nanostructuring of FePt thin films by plasma focus device: pulsed ion irradiation dependent phase transition and magnetic properties

The effects of the different number (1, 2 and 3) of H⁺ ion irradiation shots on pulsed laser deposited FePt thin films, using pulsed plasma focus device, are investigated. The FePt thin films were exposed to energetic H⁺ ions in a plasma focus device at a fixed distance of 4 cm from the top of central electrode. It was deduced that single shot ion irradiation based transient thermal treatment induces an effect similar to the conventional annealing at 400°C. Well-separated nanoparticles are formed, and the significant enhancement of the coercivity, by about two orders of magnitude, at a lower annealing temperature of 400°C has been observed in the single shot ion irradiated samples. The increase of plasma focus ion irradiation shots lead to the amorphorization in irradiated FePt samples due to excessive energy transfer causing more defects and lattice distortion, and a decreasing coercivity trend in irradiated and annealed samples are observed due to reduction in the texture coefficient of magnetic easy axis (001) orientation fct phase.     

Time-resolved optical transmission during pulsed-laser annealing of ion-implanted amorphous silicon-on-sapphire

Time-resolved optical transmission of annealing dye laser pulse (wavelength : 590 nm and pulse width : 250 nsec) itself has been measured in thin layers of Si⁺-implanted amorphized silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) with several energy densities in the range of 0.02 to 2.64 J/cm². At the energy densities where the amorphized SOS is recrystallized, the transmission exhibits a sudden drop and subsequently remains at a detectable level. This laser-induced absorption is inconsistent with the presence of ordinary molten silicon but suggests an electronic structural-change from amorphous to crystalline state.     

Radiation damage and annealing studies of ion bombarded cobalt

The effects of implantation-induced radiation damage on the thermal oxidation of cobalt have been studied. Bombardment by both Co⁺ self-ions and by Xe⁺ has been studied as a function of ion dose, energy and annealing temperature. A major increase in oxidation was observed for doses of >10¹⁶ Co⁺ cm^–2 in agreement with previous studies on Al. The oxidation behaviour as a function of annealing temperature was markedly different for Co⁺ and Xe⁺ bombarded samples. For Co⁺ bombarded samples, damage anneals rapidly in the temperature range 20–300°C due to thermally assisted repair of point defects and vacancy clusters. However, for Xe⁺ bombardment, it is proposed that the higher annealing temperatures required for damage repair arise due to the stabilisation of three-dimensional vacancy clusters by the oversized Xe atoms. The increase in oxidation after annealing in the temperature range 300–500°C is thought to be due to vacancy release mechanisms which may affect oxide nucleation.     

Ion synthesis and laser annealing of Cu nanoparticles in Al2O3

Al₂O₃ samples with Cu nanoparticles, synthesised by ion implantation at 40 keV with a dose of 1×10¹⁷ ion/cm² and a current density from 2.5 to 12.5 μA/cm², were annealed using ten pulses from a KrF excimer laser with a single pulse fluence of 0.3 J/cm². The copper depth distribution, formation and modification of metal nanoparticles under the ion implantation and laser treatment were studied by Rutherford backscattering (RBS), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical spectroscopy. It was found that laser annealing leads to a reduction in the nanoparticle size without diffusion of metal atoms into the bulk. The change in particle size and the possibility for oxidation of the copper particles are examined in the framework of Mie theory. Calculations presented show that under excimer laser treatment, Cu nanoparticles are more likely to be reduced in size than to undergo oxidation. Received: 19 April 2001 / Accepted: 7 November 2001 / Published online: 23 January 2002     

Resonant Raman studies of surface composition and structural ordering in laser-irradiated Hg1-xCdxTe

1-x Cd_xTe for x=0.165 and x=0.18. The annealing was performed in air with a Nd:YAG laser tuned to the first harmonic. A pulse duration of 72 ns and irradiation energy densities of 270 and 400 mJ/cm² were used. Information on both the structural ordering and the alloy composition in irradiated Hg_1-xCd_xTe was obtained by resonance Raman spectroscopy with laser photon energies of between 2.41 and 2.54 eV. The presented Raman spectra from annealed samples indicate structural disorder and a decrease in the degree of alloying as a result of Hg outdiffusion and segregation caused by laser-induced nonequilibrium melting and solidification. Moreover, a shift of the maximum resonant enhancement for the TO₂, LO₂, A, and LO₁&TO₁ modes in the case of a Hg_0.82Cd_0.18Te sample, annealed by 400 mJ/cm² laser pulse, to higher photon energy points to an increase in the composition from x=0.18 to x?0.3. Received: 14 July 1997/Accepted: 10 October 1997     

Thermal stability of quaternary alloy (InAlGaAs)-capped InAs/GaAs multilayer quantum dot heterostructures with variation in growth rate, barrier thickness, seed quantum dot monolayer coverage, and post-growth annealing

Strain-driven influences on the structural and optoelectronic properties of self-assembled InAs/GaAs multilayer quantum dot (MQD) heterostructures prompted our research into the growth of thermally stable MQD samples that were functional in an emission range technically favorable for communication lasers and intermediate band gap solar cells. We also studied parameter optimization by varying growth rate, capping layer thickness, seed quantum dot (QD) monolayer coverage, and post-growth annealing. A capping combination of InAlGaAs and i-GaAs was used. This combination helps in strain compensation, favors growth of multiple QD layers, functions as a strain-driven phase separation alloy, and helps increase QD stability. Photoluminescence results showed MQD sample emissions in the technologically significant range of 1.1–1.3 μm. Post-growth annealing at high temperatures led to inter-diffusion of the constituent QD materials, generation of low minimum energy states, and greater carrier involvement in intermediate band gap structures, thereby showing that annealing is a suitable method for post-growth manipulation. For one MQD sample, the annealing temperature was found to affect structural and optoelectronic properties as well as the presence of intermediate energy states. Heterostructure stability at annealing temperatures up to 750 ^°C was found for the other samples. Transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence results supported these findings.     

Nonlinear and Quantum Optics on the Nature of Sugar Emission Excited by the First Harmonic of a Nd Laser

The physical nature of emissions excited in pressed-sugar samples by the first harmonic of a neodymium laser (1064 nm, 12 ns) is studied. The spectral, kinetic, spatial, and amplitude characteristics of emissions upon single- and multipulse irradiation with energy densities of 0.012–3.2 J/cm² are measured. It is found that excitation of a sample by the first pulse causes two emission types, namely, emission of the second harmonic of a Nd laser (532 nm) and glowing of dense low-temperature plasma formed as a result of a low-temperature optical breakdown on absorbing inhomogeneities. Multipulse excitation leads to annealing of absorbing inhomogeneities and to an increase in the optical breakdown threshold.     

Investigation of laser irradiated poly- and monocrystalline aluminium by perturbed angular correlation measurements

Poly- and monocrystalline samples of aluminium implanted with ¹¹¹In to a dose of about 10¹³ at/cm² were irradiated at a temperature of 80 K with a Q-switched pulsed ruby laser. The energy density of the 25 ns pulses was in the range of 1–5 J/cm². Perturbed angular correlation measurements revealed the formation of several In-vacancy clusters, some of which give rise to electric field gradient tensors oriented along low-index crystallographic directions. This clearly shows that laser irradiation acts as a fast quench and that the monocrystalline structure is not destroyed, not even by the highest laser pulse intensity.     

Thermal stability of titanium nitride coatings prepared by the mixing technology with laser and plasma

Titanium samples were treated by the mixing technology with laser and plasma (LPN) using different laser power densities. These nitrided samples were then annealed at 473 K, 673 K, 873 K, and 1073 K for 2 h in vacuum, respectively. The samples before and after annealing were characterized at room temperature and compared in terms of microstructure. X-ray diffraction and cross-sectional optical microscopy studies showed that the layer structure of the titanium nitride coating is preserved after annealing at 1073 K when the coating is formed using a laser power density of 8.0 × 10⁵ W/cm². Therefore, titanium nitride coatings produced by LPN demonstrate excellent thermal stability and are potential candidates for high temperature tribological applications.     

Track recording properties of soda glass detector for accelerated heavy ions

The etch pit diameters of soda glass detector samples exposed to ₅₄ ¹³² Xe-ions of different energies are measured for different etching times after etching the detector in a ‘new etchant’ free of the adverse effect of the etch product layer. The dependence of track diameter on the energy and on the energy loss, dE/dx of ₅₄ ¹³² Xe-ion in soda glass has been presented. The energy resolution of soda glass and the critical angle for etching of fission fragment tracks in glass detectors have also been determined. The maximum etched track length of ₅₄ ¹³² Xe-ion in soda glass has been compared with the theoretical range. The effects of different annealing conditions on bulk etch rate of glass detector and on diameters of ₅₄ ¹³² Xe-ion tracks have been presented. Experimental results show that there is a decrease in track etch rate, etching efficiency and etchable range of ₅₄ ¹³² Xe-ions with annealing. The annealing of oblique tracks shows that the vertical tracks are more stable than the oblique tracks.     

CW CO2-laser annealing of arsenic implanted silicon

CW CO₂-laser annealing of arsenic implanted silicon was investigated in comparison with thermal annealing. Ion channeling, ellipsometry, and Hall effect measurements were performed to characterize the annealed layers and a correlation among the different methods was made. The laser annealing was done with power densities of 100 to 640 W cm⁻² for 1 to 20 s. It was found that the lattice disorder produced during implantation can be completely annealed out by laser annealing with a power density of 500 W cm⁻² and the arsenic atoms are brought on lattice sites up to 96±2%. The maximum sheet carrier concentration of 6×10¹⁵ cm⁻² was obtained for 1×10¹⁶ cm⁻² implantation after laser annealing, which was up to 33% higher than that after thermal annealing at 600 to 900°C for 30 min.     

用1064nm激光增强HfO2/SiO2薄膜的抗激光损伤能力的实验研究

 用1 064nm激光实验研究了HfO₂/SiO₂薄膜的激光损伤增强效应，实验以薄膜激光损伤阈值70%的激光能量开始，采用N-ON-1方式处理薄膜，激光脉冲的能量增量为5J/cm²。实验结果表明，激光处理薄膜表面能使激光损伤阈值平均提高到3倍左右，并且薄膜的损伤尺度也明显减小。对有缺陷的薄膜，其缺陷经低能量激光后熔和消除，其抗激光损伤能力得到增强，但增强得并不显著，而薄膜本身的激光预处理，可以使其激光损伤阈值大大提高。     

Influence of sintering conditions and laser radiation on the surface microstructure,chemical composition,and electrical conductivity of CuO/Ag ceramics

The influence of the third harmonic radiation of a YAG: Nd³⁺ laser on the microstructure, chemical composition, and electrical conductivity of CuO and CuO/Ag ceramic samples subjected to heat treatment under different conditions has been investigated. It has been found that the surface morphology is almost identical for all the samples sintered at the same temperatures. According to the X-ray microanalysis, the ratio of the copper and oxygen concentrations (Cu/O) increases with an increase in the sintering temperature and upon quenching cooling of the samples. It has been shown that laser irradiation changes the micro-structure of the samples, increases the concentration ratio Cu/O, and leads to the inclusion of silver atoms into the lattice of copper oxides. It has been revealed that the temperature dependence of electrical resistance of all the studied samples in the temperature range of 80–300 K has a semiconducting character, and the activation energy of electrical resistance varies in the range from 0.19 to 0.48 eV. The activation energy of electrical resistance decreases with an increase in the sintering temperature of the samples and increases upon their quenching, whereas the laser treatment leads to a weakening of the dependence of the activation energy on the sintering temperature. The deposition of a silver layer before the laser treatment has no noticeable influence on the activation energy. The obtained data can be used to purposefully change the physical properties of compounds formed in the Cu-O-Ag system.     

Formation of Ohmic contacts on laser irradiated n-type 6H-SiC without thermal annealing

In this work, KrF excimer laser irradiation of n-type SiC is used to form Ohmic contacts at the interfaces between the irradiated SiC and various types of metals with different work functions without subsequent thermal annealing. Ohmic contacts are formed between laser-treated 6H-SiC and Ti at a laser fluence of 0.7 J/cm². Moreover, in the fluence range of 0.7–1.3 J/cm², Ohmic characteristics are also observed between irradiated 6H-SiC and Au, which is a representative inert metal. The laser-induced heavy doping effect reduces the thickness of the Schottky barrier between the metal and SiC, and the formation of graphene sheets on the irradiated SiC surface reduces the barrier height, resulting in the direct formation of Ohmic contacts. Our findings thus demonstrate the potential of this laser treatment method to achieve Ohmic contacts between n-type SiC and a broad range of metal electrodes without requiring high-temperature annealing.