Fundamental aspects of pulsed-laser irradiation of semiconductors

Fundamental aspects of pulsed laser melting and solidification of crystalline silicon and germanium are reviewed. The discussion concentrates on time-resolved experiments performed with nanosecond pulsed lasers, although some picosecond and femtosecond experiments are also considered. The creation of amorphous material from crystalline material induced by ultrarapid melting and resolidification using either nanosecond or picosecond lasers is surveyed and the inverse process of recrystallization of a-Si by explosive crystallization is described. Finally, melting model calculations, which have proven to give a very accurate description of the pulsed laser irradiation process, are discussed