Nano-Surface Modification of Silicon with Ultra-Short Pulse Laser Process

Abstract

An ultra-short pulse laser process is presented that is based on a photon-induced phonon excitation process for low-temperature nano-surface modification of silicon. The present methodology is based on the concept that the energy required for re-crystallization and activation of the implanted dopants is supplied to the dopant layer via a nonequilibrium adiabatic process induced by ultra-short pulse laser irradiation at room temperature. An ultra-short pulse laser beam with a pulse duration of ~ 100 femtoseconds has been used in the present work for the investigation of surface excitation features via pump-probe reflectivity measurements and for demonstrations of room-temperature re-crystallization and activation of ion-implanted silicon substrates.