Laser induced reorder in Pb implanted Ge

Ge samples implanted with 40 keV Pb at a fluence of 3×10¹⁵/cm² were irradiated with ruby laser single pulses of 15ns duration. Reordering of the damaged layer occurs for energy density irradiation above 0.6 J/cm². The Pb atoms redistribute with a large component at the sample surface which is easily etched off. The remaining part of Pb impurities is substitutionally located, and the concentration exceeds the solid solubility limit by three order of magnitude. The formation of the metastable solution is explained in terms of a transient liquid layer produced during laser irradiation.