Abstract

Laser melting of silicon can be employed to study the thermodynamics of the liquid-solid interface.¹ When a short laser pulse melts a thin silicon layer on a substrate surface, the small absorption depths and short times involved lead to thermodynamic regimes of high thermal gradients and fast heat flow. Resolidification can take the form of single crystal epitaxial regrowth, imperfect crystalline regrowth, or direct formation of an amorphous solid from the melt. The liquid amorphous transition is particularly interesting since it requires undercooling of the melt below the crystallization temperature. Previous research has shown that the form of the final state depends on regrowth velocity, with the fastest velocities leading to amorphous silicon formation.²

© 1983 Optical Society of America