Phase transitions in erbium-doped silicon exposed to laser radiation

The dynamics of phase transitions induced by nanopulsed ruby laser radiation (80 nsec, 2 J/cm²) both in silicon layers doped with erbium ions and in those containing doped erbium and oxygen have been studied by an optical probing method. It is shown that the reflectivity behavior of structures under pulsed irradiation is governed by phase transitions (melting and crystallization) of implanted silicon and also by interference effects at the interfaces of the resulting phases. It is established that the profiles of erbium distribution change under nanosecond laser irradiation and that the dopant is forced out to the surface due to a segregation effect at small implantation doses. As the implanatation dose increases, diffusion deep into the sample tends to prevail over segregation. A considerable increase in the photoluminescence peak intensity at 0.81 eV is found after both the pulsed laser processing and thermal post-annealing of doped samples as opposed to spectra of samples subjected either to thermal annealing or to pulsed laser irradiation. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 76, No. 2, pp. 225–231, March–April, 2009.     

Melting of nanocrystals embedded in a crystal matrix heated by nanosecond laser pulses

The kinetics of phase transformations of nanocrystals in a crystal matrix is considered upon non-stationary heating by laser pulses. The melting and crystallization kinetics of nanocrystals is described taking into account their size, shape, elemental composition, and elastic deformations appearing due to the mismatch of the lattice constants for nanocrystals and the matrix. The possibility of decreasing the dispersion of nanocrystals over their size in heterostructures with quantum dots is predicted. As an example, melting of Ge nanocrystals in a Si matrix is considered.     

Optical-pyrometric diagnostics of the state of silicon during nanopulsed laser irradiation

The dynamics of the reflectivity at ?? = 0.53 ??m and the IR radiation of silicon in the wavelength range 0.9?C1.2 ??m is studied under the action of nanosecond ruby laser radiation pulses. When radiation energy density W is lower than the threshold of laser-induced melting of the surface of a semiconductor crystal, the major contribution to the IR radiation emitted by this crystal is made by edge photoluminescence. As the melting threshold is exceeded, the nanosecond dynamics of the detected IR radiation changes from photoluminescence to the thermal radiation of the forming Si phase melt with a high reflectivity. The results of pyrometric measurements of the peak melt surface temperature as a function of W obtained at an effective wavelength ?? _e = 1.04 ??m of the detected IR radiation agree with the data of analogous measurements performed at ?? _e = 0.53 and 0.86 ??m.     

Creation of silicon nanocrystals using the laser ablation in liquid

The method for the formation of silicon nanoparticles by picosecond laser pulses is studied upon the surface irradiation of the single-crystal silicon in various liquids. The ablation products are investigated using the atomic-force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The experimental results indicate the crystal-line structure of nanoparticles and the dependence of their size on the ablation medium.     

Modification of Cd1−xMnxTe crystal surface layers by nanopulsed laser irradiation

The surface modification of Cd_1−xMn_xTe (x = 0-0.3) crystal wafers under pulsed laser irradiation has been studied. The samples were irradiated by a Q-switched ruby laser with pulse duration of 80 ns. Optical diagnostics of laser-induced thermal processes were carried out by means of time-resolved reflectivity measurements at wavelengths 0.53 and 1.06 μm. Laser irradiation energy density, E varied in the range of 0.1-0.6 J/cm². Morphology of irradiated surface was studied using scanning electron microscopy. The energy density whereby the sample surface starts to melt, depends on Mn content and is equal to 0.12-0.14 J/cm² for x ≤ 0.2, in the case of x = 0.3 this value is about 0.35 J/cm². The higher Mn content leads to higher melt duration. The morphology of laser irradiated surface changes from a weakly modified surface to a single crystal strained one, with an increase in E. Under irradiation with E in the range of 0.21-0.25 J/cm², the oriented filamentary crystallization is observed. The Te inclusions on the surface are revealed after the irradiation of samples with small content of Mn.