Homo- and Hetero-Structure Formation in Semiconductors by Laser Radiation: First Stage of Quantum Cones Formation

Abstract

A possibility of formingquantum cones (QC) by Nd:YAG laser radiation on the surface of semiconductorssuch as Si and Ge crystals, and SiGe and CdZnTe solid solutions has been shown.A two-stage mechanism of quantum cone formation has been proposed. The first stage is generation and redistribution of point defects (impurity atoms and intrinsic point defects – vacancies and self-interstitials) in a temperature gradient field, the so-called thermogradient effect. As a result a new phase is formed on the irradiated surface, for example a Ge phase forms on the surface of a SiGe solid solution. The second stage is characterized by mechanical plastic deformation of the strained top layer leading to the formation of quantum cones, due to selective laser radiation absorption of the top layer. The first stage is more difficult for understanding of the physical processes which takeplace during of growth of QC, especially in pure intrinsic elementary semiconductors (Ge, Si) and compounds (CdTe, GaAs). Therefore, this research is focused on the investigation of the first stage of QC formation by laser irradiation. As a result of the investigation, a new mechanism for p-n junction formation in the elementary semiconductors and heterojunction in solid solutions by laser radiation as a first stage of QC formation is proposed.