Pulsed Laser Annealing of Silicon-Germanium Films

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn this work, we investigate the possibility of using pulsed laser annealing to locally tailor the physical properties of Si1-xGex (18% < × < 90%) prepared by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) at 400°C. Films which were amorphous as deposited showed, after laser annealing, strong {111} texture and a columnar grain microstructure and an average resistivity of 0.7 mΩ.cm. AFM showed that the first few laser pulses result in a noticeable reduction in surface roughness, which is proportional to the pulse energy. However, a large number of successive pulses dramatically increases the surface roughness.